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SUMMER 2010 Home Improvement 8 Get your home ready for summer 10 Secrets to curb appeal Outdoor Living 13 Create a relaxing outdoor haven at home 15 Inexpensive ways to decorate your patio 16 Choose the best patio lighting 18 Tips for decorating your garden in style Lawn and Garden 20 Gardening new lily varieties 24 Growing vegetables in containers 25 Top crops for pots 26 9 Easiest plants for your yard 27 5 Steps to a lush, almost perfect lawn
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Outdoor Living
Real Estate 28 Selling your home in a tough market 30 8 Essential steps to sell your home
By Tracie Vanderbeck
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Just like the inside of your home, your outdoor space should have designated areas for the many different things you and your family may do, from hobbies and relaxing to entertaining and recreation. Decorate your outdoor rooms just like you would the interior of your home, with fine patio furniture, weatherproof accessories, and integrate the same overall color scheme. Consider these outdoor room and living area options: • Dining areas and outdoor kitchens are common elements of a modern backyard landscape design. This may be as simple as a grill and picnic table or as elaborate as a custom outdoor kitchen with stainless steel accessories and fine patio furniture.
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• Outdoor living rooms can serve many purposes and many upscale homes incorporate more than one outdoor living area to serve these functions. Plan this living space with consideration to the time of day it will be used and the amount of sunlight desired. These areas can be used for relaxing, lounging, entertaining, and even recreation and may integrate interesting decks, beautiful patios, or terraces into the design plan.
EVERYTHING
HOME Publisher: Jeff Vanderbeck Advertising Director: Mike Davis Section Design: Special Publications Manager Tracie Vanderbeck
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Advertising Design: Andrew Littleton Jamie Beckett Sales Representatives: Lynn Massey Melisa Keller Tony Thacker Ashley Smith Krista Duty Aimee Thacker
A Special Supplement to the Appalachian News-Express 201 Caroline Avenue, Pikeville, Kentucky 606-437-4054
• Outdoor areas designated for recreation will depend on the hobbies and interests of you and your family. Swimming pools, outdoor spas, workshops, and sports areas are all possibilities and can be tastefully integrated into your backyard landscape design. • Living spaces designed specifically for sitting, lounging, or simply enjoying the beauty of the garden are equally important. These areas are often centered around a focal point of your landscape design, like a fountain, pond, or sculpture and are usually accented with comfortable seating.
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home improvement
A yard with a view BY AMANDA GOFF STAFF WRITER Trish Litafik has had to do very little to make her yard beautiful, since her yard overlooks one of the most beautiful views in Pike County. When you step out the back door, it’s shocking. Litafik said the view reminds her of Tennessee, which shows that you just don’t see views like this everyday in Kentucky. There are mountains as far as the eye can see. They are lush and green like a picture you would see on a post card for the Smoky Mountains. And it’s summer right now, but it is easy to imagine how beautiful the mountains would be with snow, flowers, or fall leaves. It’s something you have to see for yourself,” she said. “Talking about it doesn’t do it justice.” The pool was installed by a previous owner of her house, but Litafik did a few things to enhance her yard. She installed a knee-high red brick fence along the back of her yard that perfectly frames the mountains behind it. Along the sides of the yard, she installed a beige wood fence with brick columns that match the knee-high fence between the wood panels. This also help frames the mountains.
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For lighting around the pool, Litafik had small lights installed in the ground at the foot of each brick column of the fence. “They’re not bright, just spotlights,” Litafik said. “We don’t want bugs.” Also, Litafik added a waterfall to the pool. It is the only thing in her yard that sits in front of the mountains, so it commands your attention. The waterfall is small and simple with a planter on top. The green plants blend in with the mountains behind them. There is little in her yard to take away from the gorgeous view of the mountains. For the most part, everything is a neutral color. Litafik and her husband like to sit outside in the mornings and watch animals. She said they see animals like deer, turkey and fox. “There are just so many animals,” Litafik said. “Sometimes there will be 10 to 15 turkey in the road in the mornings.” They also like to have people over to use the pool and enjoy their yard. “We like to use the pool for more than just holidays.” She said. Litafik likes to have friends come over on weekends to swim and relax. Even though the neighborhood she lives in lies within the Pikeville City Limits, Chloe Ridge is still a well-kept secret. “So many people don’t know that there’s anything up here,” Litafik said. “I didn’t know there were houses up here.” Litafik says she loves living on Chloe Ridge because it’s such a clean neighborhood. She was accustomed to all the dirt and grime that comes from all the coal trucks, but her current neighborhood is the complete opposite. It’s quiet with very few cars driving around, and there isn’t a piece of garbage lying around anywhere. “It’s worlds apart from what I’m used to,” Litafik said.
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home improvement
Get Your Home Ready for Summer You’ve been ready for summer since January, but what about your house? Here are 15 reminders to get your home prepped and ready for warm season—inside and out
1 Add Fresh Air Let fresh air fill your home by opening your windows, and place a houseplant next to your bathroom sink to help filter the air. Some of the best air-cleaning houseplants are snake plants, spider plants, English ivy, and smallleafed rubber plants. 2 Let Summer Inside Enjoy warm summer evening breezes through your screen doors. Clean screening and repair or replace it, if needed. Tighten and lubricate door hinges and closers, especially on wooden doors that can become warped with changing temperatures, humidity, and wet weather. The same goes for window screens. 3 Fan-tastic Idea You may not be able to get through the month of May without running your air conditioner—let alone June, July, and August—but don’t discount the value of a ceiling fan. Set fan blades to revolve counterclockwise, which forces the hotter air near the ceiling to mix with the lower, cooler air, leveling out the room temperature.
4 Bugged Out We all have our own remedies for keeping mosquitoes at bay; bug spray and citronella candles are two popular methods. However it’s also a good idea to clear underbrush around trees and shrubs and avoid planting thick vegetation, according to the insect experts at Southern Living. 8 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
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A summer without cold drinks on hand is no summer at all. Take care now to clean your refrigerator’s condensing coils to keep it running smoothly all summer long. Unplug the fridge, and remove the base plate or top grate. (Check your owner's manual to locate coils.) Use a vacuum cleaner with the nozzle attachment to remove any dirt and lint.
Homekeeping
rating with candles
1 1 Keep Refrigerators Running
1 2 Good-to-Go Garages You’ve got your bathing suit and sunglasses on, sunscreen is applied, and your beach towel is fluffed up and ready to go. All you need now is your beach chair from the garage. Don’t ruin a perfectly good beach day spending hours scouring your cluttered garage.
13 Proper Pool pH As much fun as having a pool is, maintaining one is no picnic. However, if you want to enjoy your backyard swimming hole all summer long, it is essential to monitor pH and chlorine levels. Failure to do so can result in bacteria growth, faded bathing suits, and irritated eyes. 14 Green Lawn Know-how We’ll admit it—the one thing winter has over summer is it allows you to put away the lawn mower for a few months. But now that your dried out brown grass has turned green, it’s time to take care of that baby by fertilizing on a regular basis. Anne de Solene Hydrangea (Mondaine/Prestance) Duvet cover, sheets and pillow shams.
5 Lighter Linens Swap warm flannel sheets and heavy duvet covers for lighter linens with a high threadcount. Choose solid, light colors to give the whole room a breezy feel. A simple, thin coverlet should be enough to keep you warm during the summer months. 6
A Warmer Wardrobe You’ve waited all winter-long to ditch your heavy coat and boots. Don’t let these items take up precious bathing suit, sundress, and flip flop space in your closet.
7 Fireplace Alternatives Put those rotting fire logs outside and bring some life back to your dormant fireplace. A collection of green plants in terracotta pots makes a beautiful summertime display. Just make sure that the fireplace receives a little bit of sun. 8 SPF for Windows There’s no point in turning on the AC if the 32 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
sun coming through a window bakes your living room. Install reflective film, sunscreen-fabric curtains, or roller shades. If you’re investing in new windows, choose panes with a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC).
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Palatable Produce If you want to save money, eat healthy, and help the planet all at once, start growing your own vegetables. Tomatoes, basil, and lettuce are all crops that thrive in warmer weather.
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Be Grill Prepared Whether you’re grilling up brisket in Birmingham or mahi mahi in Miami, summertime is barbecue time. Be sure to have all of your BBQ essentials on hand. If you’re using a charcoal grill, don’t drench the coals in lighter fluid—you’ll just end up with food that tastes like, well, lighter fluid. Instead, invest in an inexpensive chimney starter to quickly and safely light the coals.
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Get All Decked Out Reinvent your deck by finding a great table and set of chairs for dining alfresco. Make your outdoor meal even more special by using real plates and silverware, and deco-
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home improvement
Secrets to Curb Appeal What kind of first impression does your front entry make? Try these quick-fix ideas to transform your home. TIME TO EVALUATE What constitutes true "curb appeal"? While the term embraces everything between your front door and the street, it doesn't take much to make dramatic style improvements, whether by adding flower boxes, sprucing up the mailbox, or constructing an elegant driveway. With a little faith in your vision, and a few tips from the pros, you can transform a dowdy exterior to an inviting, welcoming entranceway.
CHOOSING AND USING CONTAINERS Whether combined in a group or standing alone, containers add charm and personality to any garden. When your garden needs some punch, containers can be the answer. Place them in strategic locations to draw attention to a specific area, such as the front entrance. At the home shown at left, a large concrete pot is set in the middle of the flower border. When you stand directly in front of the house, the pot is centered on the door. Containers placed on both sides of the landing frame the steps. In spring, red geraniums look great with yellow pansies and daffodils. Variegated ivy is trained to grow up a metal obelisk set on axis with the front door. As the summer's landscape changes, so does the look of the containers.
MAILBOX MAKEOVER Oddly enough, it is the humble mailbox that often creates that first impression of a suburban home. It can extend guests a welcoming visual invitation or give them the cold shoulder. Even the mail carrier was tempted to drive by the nondescript mailbox at left without stopping. It was time for a makeover. To spruce up a plain mailbox, begin by clearing out any surrounding weeds. Ornamental grass makes a nice backdrop, maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus') in particular. Some type of small evergreen, stepping down in height, stands out in front of the grasses and gives the planting an accent during the winter. For added punch, place evergreens in terra-cotta pots. Next, consider adding a copper post cap, brass house numbers, copper tubing, and decorative elements like this copper vase and firefly. Copper tubing is sold in prepackaged coils, so we merely had to unwrap it, stretch it out, and wind it around the post.
HIGHLIGHT YOUR ADDRESS Blending utility with personality, house numbers don't just tell guests where you are; they can also tell them who you are. Their potential ends only with your imagination. Use scavenged materials for an eclectic look, or match your home's decor more closely for a refined look. Placement isn't limited to your front door -- consider planting numbers in a garden bed or affixing them to a retaining wall near your driveway.
FRESHEN YOUR FRONT DOOR New finishes on the door and the floor give this entrance a welcoming new look without costly renovation. A front door says a lot about a home. And it is true that old ones add character. Can the beauty of an antique door be combined with the durability of a new one? It's not as hard as you might think. This mahogany door was gorgeous but a little too new for the homeowners' taste. Instead of waiting a century for it to age, they sought some help from a faux finish artist. The homeowners also wanted a quick fix to mask their unattractive concrete stoop. Removing it would be too expensive for their budget, so the artist gave it a fresh look with paint.
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real estate
SELL WELL: IT'S TIME TO MOVE! 8 easy but essential steps to sell your home & move to a new house! Researchers say that the whole process of moving to a new home is one of the most stressful events we go through in a lifetime. But with careful planning, attention to detail and a clear focus, the whole process might not be as painful as you'd expect. Find out more here! Can they really afford this house? While there will always be things outside the control of any home seller, those things that you can control can make all the difference. But don't get too far ahead of yourself -- this is the time to plan. Here's what you need to do! 1. Get free valuations and priceless advice. Real estate agents will give you a home valuation for free, because ultimately they hope you'll engage their services when it comes to selling your home. Therefore use the experience of a handful of local and trusted agents who are renowned for their selling success and invite them to come and value your home. Then, ask what he or she thinks you can do to boost the value of your property. Real estate agents spend their entire professional lives checking out houses, so they know what attracts a buyer, what turns him off -- and what you should do in order to have the most successful, profitable sale. Most real estate agents will be happy to give you tips, because if you can increase its value, you can increase the price... and if they are asked to represent you, they will ultimately make more in commissions from the sale! 2. Work out total selling, buying and moving costs. To help with this step, ask one of the real estate agents to give you a break down of all the local fees, commissions, taxes and costs you will likely face when selling and buying. These should include any real estate agent's fees, attorney fees, inspection/surveyor's costs, and any potential capital gains tax. Add to these expenses the costs you will incur when buying a new home -- and remember to include any deposit, mortgage broker fees, survey costs, escrow charges, title company fees and insurance. Last but not least, get a rough quote from a moving company -- typically based upon the square footage of your existing home and how far you're moving. 3. Figure out your budget. You will want to contact your current mortgage lender and ask them if and what penalties and fees you will incur for early repayment of your existing loan. Let your lender know that you are intending to sell your home, and they will give you an up-to-date statement of the amount remaining, which will help you figure out exactly how much selling up is going to cost you in real terms. (This number will, of course, be updated with the most current amount just before close of escrow.)If you have savings, a trust or other financial resources, add those to the amount you'll have on hand to boost your purchasing power. 4. Get pre-qualified for a loan. Now you have to approach a mortgage lender and work with him to determine exactly how much you can comfortably afford to borrow. The broker will consider many factors, including the approximate price of the home you're buying, how much of a downpayment you can make, the status of any existing home's sale, how much you earn, your net worth -- and will take a look at that all-important credit score. The goal is two-fold: to figure out how much you will be able to spend on a new house, and to increase your attractiveness as a buyer -- as you're pre-qualified, they know you're a serious bidder, and should be able to close within six weeks or so. 5. Hire the best real estate agent. Having already met and worked with real estate agents for the valuation of your home, get back in touch with your favorite and ask him or her to help sell your home! If you are in doubt about which agent to choose, talk to friends, family and colleagues in your area who have recently bought or sold a residence and ask for personal recommendations. You need to feel comfortable with the agent you 30 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
choose -- and you need to make sure they will sell your house as quickly, efficiently, honestly and effectively as possible. Once you choose your agent, go through their entire marketing strategy for your home and make sure you are comfortable with their approach and that they are going to do everything required of them to assist you. Also ask them to revalue your home based on the work you have done to it and any market movements that have occurred in the interim. 6. Start to look for your new house. Now you have a clear budget, you can begin the exciting process of searching for a new home. It may seem tedious to get all the financial facts and figures in place before heading off to find that dream house, but by laying the groundwork first, you will be less likely to be heartbroken after you fall in love with an unsuitable, unaffordable home. Instead, you will be preparing yourself for success. 7. Give your home a makeover! While you're still browsing houses, get to work with the repairs, renovations and heavy work needed to bring your house up to the top of the market. (Read more about the whys and hows of prepping the exterior of your home for sale here.) First impressions really do matter, so you will need to review every aspect of your home. What will a buyer"s eye be drawn to -- the room's fantastic proportions or the dead plant in the window? Walk through each room and not only try to look at it with fresh eyes, but your other senses, too. Evaluate how it smells (bad odors can seriously spook buyers) and sounds -- are there any banging pipes, loose floorboards or squeaky doors? As for any improvements you do make, do them well. A patchy or drippy paint job isn't much of an improvement. Neither is installing tile unevenly (even if it's gorgeous), nor is the addition of something like bargain-basement cheap or mismatched faucet sets. 8. Be as flexible as possible. If you can be quick to respond to a viewing request and flexible in terms of close of escrow, you will be doing everything you can to grease the wheels for the sale of your home. And by keeping your home as tidy as possible, you should be able to say "yes" to a viewing request at a moment's notice. Start packing the non-essentials as soon as you decide to move, and rent a storage unit temporarily to get all of that extra stuff off-site. Jump in with both feet Yes, the housing market may be tough -- which really means you have to be that much more prepared in order to compete. But with the smarts and the determination to see the whole home sale process through, you can be loading up that moving truck sooner than you might think!
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Decks, patios and even a nice porch can extend and enhance our indoor living spaces and our lives.
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outdoor living
real estate
Selling your home in tough times (ARA) - A few years ago, it seemed like you could stake a "for sale" sign outside your home and within a few hours you would have multiple offers. Not anymore. Today's tough economic times mean that home sellers need to do their homework, take a more assertive role in marketing their home and, at times, get creative to help their home stand out from others that are on the market. Regardless of how tough the times are, the fact remains that a nice home, well maintained, in a desirable neighborhood, and priced right will sell more quickly than a home that hasn't been kept up or hasn't been priced according to what other homes in the neighborhood would sell for. Whether you're selling your home as part of downsizing your lifestyle or you're seeking a larger home for a growing family, the following steps offered by FindLaw.com, one of the nation's leading online sources for real estate law, can pay dividends in helping you achieve a quick sale and a price that reaches your desired goal. Assemble your team. Most sellers prefer to work with a real estate agent or a lawyer at some point in the process. In fact, in a handful of U.S. states, a lawyer must help finalize the sale. Real estate agents typically charge a commission, about 6 percent, to be split between your agent and the buyer's agent, if any. Lawyers normally charge by the hour. Despite the costs, experienced, responsible professionals can ultimately save you time, money and aggravation. Conduct a pre-inspection. Many states require a home inspection report as part of a disclosure form before placing a home on the market. To make sure your home passes the test, hire a third-party home inspector to conduct a preinspection of your home to help you make necessary repairs and updates before an official inspection. Conduct a comp. A "comp" is shorthand among real estate agents for comparing your home to similar types of homes in your area with similar features, such as square footage, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, etc. This process will help you determine a price range for your home. To get comps, visit open houses, read classified ads (in print and online), and check out Web sites such as www.realtor.com, by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Review actual selling prices. Of course, list prices don't tell you how much houses ultimately sell for - that's the comparable data you really need. In a hot market, houses might go for well over list price, and vice versa. A number of Web sites offer such information, and you may want to carefully watch county Web sites that publish this information for tax purposes. Price aggressively, but not too aggressively. As the seller, of course you would like to get every nickel out of selling your home. The balancing act is finding the right price where you don't have to cut it multiple times to trigger an offer, or a price that is so low that a potential buyer might think there's something wrong with it. Go to open houses. Sellers need to understand what other sellers are doing and offering to sell their homes. The best way to do that is to go to as many open houses in your area and take note of who the potential buyers are, their feedback on nearby homes, and what other sellers are offering potential buyers in terms of price and incentives. Make your home as attractive as possible. Buyers will pay thousands of dollars more for a home that is tastefully decorated and appears in ready-to-move-in condition. The first place to start is to declutter your home. Put away any personal items or items of expression that would detract from a buyer feeling at home.
Create a relaxing outdoor haven at home With the summer season just around the corner, now's the time to freshen up your outdoor living space and make it 'relaxation ready' for the warm months of fun ahead (ARA) - Nothing is more relaxing than a breath of fresh air, which is likely the reason why the lines between indoors and out have blurred immensely. More homeowners are moving their living rooms outside to well-appointed patios and decks, furnishing these spaces with all the comforts of their favorite indoor gathering spaces. Research shows homebuilders are now incorporating two- and threesided outdoor rooms into home plans. Manufacturers too are addressing the trend by providing a wide array of products designed for outdoor living, giving homeowners nearly as many choices to decorate their outdoor living rooms as those inside their homes - including furniture, textiles, lighting, grills and even WiFi-enabled outdoor entertainment systems.
Include enticing entertainment And don't forget the entertainment. Outdoor-friendly systems exist for any budget - ranging from WiFi- or satellite-radio-enabled speaker systems for a little mood music, to high-end comprehensive systems that include plasma TVs and surround sound. All are designed to withstand any weather.
Homeowners are spending as much time and effort on outdoor living projects as they do indoor decorating endeavors. With the summer season just around the corner, now's the time to freshen up your outdoor living space and make it 'relaxation ready' for the warm months of fun ahead."
A fresh coat of paint doesn't hurt either. Fill out the disclosure forms. Some states require sellers to fill out a long form that explicitly asks about the seller's knowledge of various significant or material defects that might be present in the home, according to FindLaw.com. States vary in their requirements. Some states require sellers to disclose water in the basement, leaks in the roof, the use of lead-based paint, or unsafe concentrations of radon gas. Regardless of what your state requires, it's really in the seller's interest to disclose any previous problems to reduce the risk of a lawsuit in the future by a disgruntled buyer. Advertise on the MLS. If you're working with a real estate agent, the agent should help put the property into the online Multiple Listing Service, and maybe in the classifieds too. If you don't have an agent, you can take the same steps yourself (one Web site, www.iggyshouse.com, allows you to put your house on the MLS for free). Interested buyers can then make an appointment to see the house in person. Hold an open house. Many home sellers find open houses a useful tool. They're certainly good for bringing in the crowds. In deciding when to hold an open house, look for opportunities when your area attracts a large number of people from surrounding areas, such as a neighborhood or citywide festival or sporting event. Be prepared to negotiate. Because there are more sellers than buyers in most markets, buyers currently have more leverage in negotiating. Be prepared to respond to a range of concessions, from lower-than-expected offers and requests for the seller to cover the closing costs to decorating allowances and mechanical repairs. On the other hand, as the home seller, you should be prepared to counter by demanding that all serious offers have their financing in place to ensure a smooth sale. To learn more about real estate law, visit www.findlaw.com.
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ther tie together the perfect combination of inside meets outside. Additionally, portable patio heaters are a great way to let you enjoy your outdoor haven even when nights get chilly, allowing you to make the most of your space all season long.
Pep it up with paint One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to spruce up an outdoor area is by refurbishing existing furniture and other pieces with spray paint. While you want furniture to look stylish, you also want something that is easy to clean and maintain, and holds up against rain, heat and sunlight. No one wants freshly painted furniture to fade, chip or rust before the season ends. Lighten up with fabric and lighting Once your painting projects are complete, accent your bold color choices with unique and interesting cushions and throw pillows made from stainand mildew-resistant fabrics. Keep in mind that your new furniture colors and coordinating cushions will "pop" and look brighter with the right kind of outdoor lighting. Depending on how you configure your outdoor living space, you can install lighted ceiling fans, place environmentally-friendly solar accent lighting in surrounding flowerbeds, and use portable lamps designed expressly for exterior use. Add nature ... with a twist Living in the great outdoors wouldn't be complete if you didn't weave in natural elements such as fire and water. A grill, fire pit and water features, such as a container pond, bird bath or waterfall planter fur-
With all of the stylish and unique design options available to help you create your own backyard oasis this summer, why even consider spending your free time indoors? The season lasts only a few months in many climates, so make the most of it by designing an ultimate outdoor living room that's ideal for gathering, cooking, entertaining and relaxing with friends and family. Courtesy of ARAcontent Photos Courtesy of Pottery Barn
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lawn and garden
5 STEPS TO A LUSH, ALMOST PERFECT LAWN While there is no magic pill to achieving a better lawn there are some basic steps you can follow that will go a long way in giving you a lush, healthy lawn you'll be proud to walk over. Here then are the 5 basic steps to help anyone achieve a beautiful lawn. Get the mowing height right for the right time of year. There's a lot more to mowing than just cutting the grass every Saturday. One of the most fundamental steps to a perfect lawn is getting the mowing height right for your type of lawn and for a particular season. Most grasses can survive with a length of 2" - 3". This applies for spring and early fall. In the summer, if possible, set it a little higher*. Never go below the minimum recommended height except for the last mowing of the season which should be around 1.5" for most turf grasses. There are exceptions to this, but if you have a lawn that requires that exception, you already should know your mowing height. Mowing height is important because the length of that grass blade is the part that absorbs sunshine which the grass blade then miraculously converts into food! Imagine if you were a blade of grass and got hungry, all you had to do was stand outside and soak up some rays! There are many that think fertilizer is lawn food, but that's not true. Plants actually make their own food using sunlight. it needs to grow and develop into a healthy plant. In fact, fertilizer isn't even absorbed by the plant as it's put down on the soil. In laymen's terms, the fertilizer that gets put down on the lawn must first go through the digestive juices of a lot of tiny microbes that live in the soil. Only then is it in a form that can be absorbed and used by the plant, not as a food, but as building blocks to build more cells and carry on the process of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Never remove more than 1/3 at any one mowing. This may mean you'll have to mow more often during prime growing times (usually spring and early fall). Leave the clippings on the lawn after you mow. This not only saves time and energy, but the clippings decompose and add vital nutrients back into the soil. Grass cycling recycles plant nutrients back into the soil. Clippings contain the same beneficial nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrients as that expensive bag of fertilizer. In fact, clippings can provide up to one-third of the annual feeding requirement for your lawn. Use a sharp blade The type of mower doesn't matter, but the blade's condition does. A dull blade tears at the grass. Take a close look at a grass blade a few days after mowing. If the blade is dull you'll notice a jagged brown line across the tip of the cut grass. This is a good indication that your blade needs sharpening. Professional mowers sharpen their blades about every 8 hours of use. For most homeowners, twice a year is recommended. The jagged edges caused by a dull mower blade make it more difficult for the grass to fight off pests and disease. Regulate the water intake Over watering your lawn causes more damage than a lack of water. Most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding. Most grasses require 1" - 1.5" of water per week. This is enough water to moisten the soil to 4" - 6" below the surface for clay soils and 8 - 10" for sandy soils. Don't guess at how much water your lawn is getting. For measuring Mother Nature's contribution, invest in a rain gauge. If at the end of the week she's contributed enough, hold off adding more. If she comes up short, you'll want to add some supplemental watering. Again, measure how much water your sprinkler is putting down. You'll have to follow local regulations when there are watering bans, but just 14 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
remember that less water is acceptable and grass is a very resilient plant. When the rains do return your lawn will come back with a little encouragement on your part. Give your lawn a regular, balanced diet-- just don't over-do it! Don't over-fertilize your lawn with too much of a good thing. 4 balanced fertilizer applications a year is plenty: spring, summer, early fall and after the first frost for cool season grasses. If you're in drought conditions, skip the summer application. Never skip the fall application. It’s important to use lawn products by following label instructions. Get the best results by following the directions. Over application will not improve performance. As mentioned above, fertilizers are processed through their interaction with tiny microbes before they can be used. Over-applying fertilizers can create unfavorable conditions for those microbes, even killing them. When that happens, the soil becomes sterile and the grass won't grow. How do you know if you're over applying fertilizers? Get a soil test first. Soil tests should be required before applying anything to your soil.
Prevention is the best medicine for a healthy lawn Preventing problems is better than having to correct them. Consistent maintenance is the key. Repair bare spots as needed. Spot treat for weeds with the right herbicide following label directions. Use pre-emergent herbicides for most grassy-type weeds like crabgrass. Soils can become compacted in high-traffic areas or in areas that have mostly clay soils. Have your lawn aerated once a year, preferably in the fall when soil temperature is around 60 degrees. That's it. Pretty simple actually and easy to follow.
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lawn and garden
outdoor living
PICKING EASY GROWING PLANTS 9 Easiest plants for your yard When planning plants for your yard, it can be helpful to choose hardy varieties that grow easily, especially if you are a beginner gardener. Plants that are easy to grow can add a lot of beauty to your yard because they will thrive and grow lush without a lot of extra effort on your part. Native plants and perennials are often good choices, as are easy-to-grow annuals.
HOSTAS There are so many varieties of hostas that the only difficult part about growing them can be choosing which ones you want to plant. These easy to grow plants love shady areas and will provide a lot of color and texture to your landscape through their beautiful leaves and floral stems. Hostas also tend to spread over time, so you can divide them and plant even more hostas in other areas of your yard.
Inexpensive ways to decorate your patio
DAYLILIES
OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING
Daylilies such as the beautiful "Stella de Oro" are very easy to grow, providing blooms during a longer period of time than many other standard varieties of daylilies. However, even when not in bloom, the greenery of these perennial favorites adds a decorative touch to garden planting beds.
There's just something about entertaining outdoors that makes us wish it could be summer all year long -- enjoying the breeze, basking in the sun and, of course, gathering around the grill. But before you send out the invites for your next backyard bash, take a look at these seven inexpensive ways to jazz up your patio and create a sensational summer entertaining space.
ADD FLOWERS AND PLANTS
BLACK-EYED SUSAN Blooming in late summer and early autumn, this beautiful perennial flower is very easy to grow. These flowers are very disease and pest resistant, and can grow in almost any kind of soil.
Daylilies, Black-Eyed Susans, Hostas and Hydrangeas
LAMB'S EAR
The patio is the area that transitions your indoor living space to the outdoors. Incorporate flowers and plants to add some color and natural appeal. Place plants and flowers in terracotta pots on tables and in hanging baskets. Put several containers together with blooms in the same color scheme. Look for unique pots, ceramic urns and other containers for your flowers and plants at garage sales.
INCORPORATE LIGHTING
The soft furry silvery-green leaves of Lamb's Ear will provide a nice backdrop for other flowering plants in your flower beds. These perennials plants are primarily grown for their unique foliage, and once you plant them, they will easily grow back each year.
Patio lighting doesn't have to be expensive. Try tiki torches, paper lanterns or white Christmas lights for a little ambience. Christmas lights are inexpensive, particularly if you buy them off season at your neighborhood Walmart or other store.
MINT
CREATE COLORFUL BENCHES
Mint varieties are so easy to grow that they can almost be considered to be weeds. In fact, mint is so invasive that it should be planted in metal containers so that its roots do not spread where you don't want mint plants to grow. It can grow in almost any kind of soil, and the foliage is not only attractive but also extremely fragrant.
Buy affordable wood or metal benches, and paint them in bright colors. Add accent throw pillows in coordinating shades for a little comfort and a lot of style. You can also add a hammock or porch swing for relaxing with a cold glass of iced tea and a good book.
PURCHASE BAMBOO MATS
SEDUM
Here's how to make your own area rug for your patio out of inexpensive bamboo mats: Get the same mats that you roll up and carry to the beach; they cost about $5 each. Attach two or three of them together with carpet tape on the underside, flip and put under your patio table.
Also known as "Stonecrop", this beautiful and easy-to-grow perennial has succulent ornamental leaves in addition to attractive blooms in late summer and early autumn. These plants especially thrive in drier soils with good drainage, as wet soil can occasionally cause the stems to rot.
YARROW
MAKE HOMEMADE TOPIARIES
Yarrow is extremely hardy, growing even in dry and poor soil. There are many different varieties of yarrow in various heights and colors. Yarrow grows so easily that it can often tend to crowd out other plants over time, so you might want to keep it confined to a specific area.
Buy dense shrubbery from a garden shop, Walmart or a home improvement store. Use garden shears to cut the shrubs into shapes. They don't have to be elaborate -spheres, cones and hearts will do.
MARIGOLDS Marigolds come in many different sizes, colors and flower styles. They are an annual, which means they must be replanted every year, although in many instances they can reseed themselves. Colors vary from light cream to burnt orange, and will bloom all season until frost. Marigolds will provide a lot of color for very little effort.
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Hostas GROUND COVERS If you have an area of your yard that is difficult to mow, such as a steep bank, try planting an easy-to-grow ground cover such as ivy, ajuga, creeping sedums or pachysandra. Most ground cover plants thrive easily, especially if you choose one that is well-suited to the level of sunlight or shade that the area receives. Periwinkle is a good choice for shade, while plants such as creeping phlox do well in full sun.
UPGRADE TABLES AND CHAIRS Make an old patio set look new again with spray paint. You can buy used patio furniture on the cheap at garage sales and thrift shops.
PAINT THE CEMENT If your patio is worn, you don't have to have it re-done. Instead, paint it! You can use stencils to create the look of brick or tiles. After you are finished painting, seal the patio to make sure the colors last.
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 15
Choose the Best Patio Lighting
Top Crops for Pots Make the most of your container gardens and grow vegetables at home. These tips will help you choose the best plants for your climate and containers.
Lighting options your deck or patio that fit your space, needs, and budget.
Illuminate Good lighting makes a walkway easy to navigate after dark, provides safety and security, and creates a welcoming ambiance. Flexibility is the key. Bright, standard-voltage lights, such as an undereave porch light or a post light, add strong illumination to repel intruders or allow you to walk without tripping when carrying in the groceries. However, they are too glaring for entertaining. Low-voltage lights are mellower, and bright enough for most evening activities. For most patios, a combination of the two types of lighting is ideal. If you already have strong standard-voltage lighting, consider installing dimmer switches so that you can soften the effect when you want.
No ground to garden? Grow summer veggies on the patio. Growing vegetables can bring out the farmer in you. You till the soil and tend the plants, and then reap the rewards when the plants bear fruit. Even if you don't have much gardening space or sunny ground, you can still experience the pleasure of harvesting your own vine-ripened tomatoes and other crops. All you need is a generous-size container, good potting soil, and a patio, deck, or corner that gets at least six hours of full sun a day.
Carrots Soil temperature: At least 55ºF. Spacing: Direct-sow seeds 1/2 to 1 inch apart; thin seedlings 1 to 2 inches apart. Choose a deep pot for carrots with long roots, such as 'Nantes' halflong type (7 inches long). Shallower pots are adequate for shorter carrots such as 'Short 'n Sweet' or round ones like 'Thumbelina.' Don't let the soil dry out.
Here are the top crops for pots, and how to grow them. Pot depth: 18 inches
Pot depth: 14 to 16 inches Soil temperature: At least 70ºF.
Types of Lights Path lights like the one at right, usually have shades that produce a wide, downward spread of light. Lantern-type lights both illuminate paths and provide general lighting.
Soil temperature (at planting time): At least 60ºF Rope lights are strings of tiny, evenly spaced bulbs that can be hung from a tree like Christmas lights. Deck lights can be fastened to a vertical structure such as an overhead or a trellis.
Spotlights or floodlights can be swiveled to point at a feature or an area of the yard. "Brick lights" are shaped to resemble a patio paver and are actually installed in the soil, where they point diffused light upward.
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Courtesy of Lamps Plus/ LampsPlus.com
Spacing: Direct-sow seeds 2–3 inches apart. Pole beans are more productive over the long run than bush beans (which produce their crop all at once). Train the 6- to 8-foot-tall vines on a trellis or tepee made from bamboo poles. Try 'Blue Lake Pole', 'Helda' romano, or heirloom 'Kentucky Wonder'.
With their colorful fruits and attractive foliage, eggplants have outstanding ornamental value. Try 'Black Beauty', an American heirloom with bulbous, purple-black fruits, or 'Little Fingers,' an Asian type with slim fruits.
Spacing: One plant per pot.
Peppers
Soil temperature: At least 60ºF. Spacing: One plant per pot.
Soil temperature: At least 60ºF.
Choose from an amazing array of colors, shapes, and heat levels, from mildly spicy 'Anaheim' to searing hot 'Thai Dragon'. Among sweet peppers, try 'Ariane' an orange bell, or 'Giant Marconi', a long, red one that's great for grilling.
Summer squash is more productive than winter squash. Grow compact varieties like 'Gold Rush' yellow zucchini, 'Spacemiser' green zucchini, or 'Sunburst' scallopini.
Tomatoes Pot depth: 18 inches Soil temperature: At least 60ºF.
Potatoes
Eggplants
Spacing: Plant tubers 6 inches apart.
Soil temperature: At least 70ºF.
Squash
Pot depth: 14 to 16 inches
Bush types like 'Bush Champion' and disease-resistant 'Salad Bush' take up half the space of trailing types. 'Lemon' cuke also bears well on a trellis.
Pot depth: 14–16 inches
Bury seed potatoes in an 8-inch layer of soil at the bottom of the pot. As plants grow, pile more soil up to the top set of leaves. Try small- to medium-size 'All Blue', 'Red Pontiac', or 'Yukon Gold'.
Pot depth: 18 inches
Spacing: One or two plants per pot.
Cucumbers Beans
Spacing: One or two plants per pot.
Pot depth: 9–14 inches
Spacing: One plant per pot.
Pot depth: 18 inches Soil temperature: At least 45ºF.
Potatoes are productive if there's ample room for tubers to develop.
Use small wire cages or stakes to support determinate types (2- to 3-foottall varieties that produce their crop all at once); try 'Bush Celebrity'. Use sturdy 5-foot.-tall cages for indeterminate types (tall kinds that produce fruits all season) such as 'Early Girl'.
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 25
A Feast for the Eyes
Economic Option
Growing vegetables in containers An inexpensive option for patio lighting will likely be a kit that contains 10 or so lights, a programmable transformer, and all the cable and connectors you need.
Growing food in pots can be easier than planting DEAN FOSDICK,For The Associated Press
If you want to install a variety of lights or if you don't like the lights that come in kits, you will need to purchase the components separately.
Two of the hottest trends in gardening are containers and cultivating fresh food, and many savvy families are beginning to combine the two. They're growing their vegetables in pots. Improvements in potting soils and fertilizers have made this a straightforward and generally successful exercise, said Pamela Crawford, a landscape architect from Canton, Ga., who has written four books about container gardening. "It's so easy to put a tomato into a pot. It almost grows itself," Crawford said. "It's a whole different ballgame than putting one in the ground. There's less weeding involved and fewer insects to fight. Container gardens are more productive and involve less work."
Mixing flowers with ornamental vegetables makes good container sense. Cucumbers, coleus and begonias are eye-catching when planted together. Other great potted pairings include rosemary surrounded by lettuce, viola tucked among some long-legged broccoli plants and spinach growing alongside mounded chrysanthemums. Viola and chrysanthemum petals are edible, by the way. Adding flowers also extends the life of the combos, Crawford said. "In many of my containers, with flowers that lived much longer than the vegetables, I simply cut the dead vegetable branches off and left the flowers to fill in the remaining space," she wrote in her latest book, "Easy Container Combos; Vegetables and Flowers" (Color Garden Publishing, 2010). Most any kind of container will serve, provided it has the necessary openings for drainage. Having too much water in the soil is almost as deadly as having too little. It rots the plant roots. Baskets are good choices. So are window boxes, kitchen totes and a whole range of recyclables Vegetables and flowers can do well in including old barrels, buckets and pots, including tomatoes. (Color milk jugs. Just be careful about Garden Publishing) colors and breathability.
24 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
Use short downward-spreading lights not only to light up a path but to light up shrubbery or flowers. Try different colored bulbs for decorative effects.
When choosing a transformer, check its specs or consult a salesperson to be sure that it is strong enough to supply power to all the lights you need.
Shapely pots and colorful plants are a great combination for growing edibles — especially where garden space is lacking. Containers can deliver the goods and in remarkably large quantities. "I've been able to harvest as many as 236 small spicy peppers all at once from four plants in a 16- to 20-inch container," Crawford said, referring to habaneros. "I've also been able to get my fill of tomatoes from a pot that included a few ornamental sweet potato vines with their large root systems. It's amazing how little ground space plants need to be productive. They can tolerate being crowded."
Spread Lighting
Pamela Crawford is author of "Easy Container Combos: Vegetables and Flowers." "I've had good experience with clay pots and plastic pots," said Joseph Masabni, an assistant professor and extension horticulturist with Texas A&M University. "If you live in a hot area, I don't recommend black or dark containers. They can overheat plants. I prefer clay because it breathes if it isn't coated. (Plant) roots are never starved for oxygen." Vegetable gardening in containers is also a good way to involve Vegetables and flowers can do well in pots, includchildren. The size of ing mustard greens and lettuce. (Color Garden Publishing) the project won't be overwhelming, Masabni said. "Practicality is probably the major consideration. Older people who are still gardeners at heart but who live in apartments also can grow their fill of vegetables or small fruiting shrubs in pots," he said. Even people with plenty of land find growing in containers easier with certain produce, such as potatoes, he said.
Silhouetting Lighting Techniques
To emphasize the shape of a tree, shrub, or bed of flowers, try aiming a spotlight or floodlight at a fence or wall from close behind the plant.
Position lights so that they will provide illumination without shining into people’s eyes. Often, this means placing low-voltage lights lower than 2 feet above the ground and standard-voltage lights higher than 7 feet. You can also place lights behind a barrier or use fixtures that provide shielded or diffused light. Most yards benefit from a combination of two or three types.
Downlighting Use lights that point downward to gently light up a patio or walkway, or to accent trees and shrubs. Outdoor lighting can be both functional and aesthetic. A well lit home is also safer and more secure. Illuminated steps, paths and driveways prevent after-dark accidents. Motion detectors light up obscure spots when someone passes by. Photocells automatically turn on fixtures at dusk and off at dawn, providing protection even when you’re away from home. When installing outdoor lights, conceal the light source behind shrubs, tree branches or other foliage -- unless the fixture is a decorative element.
"There's no digging required," Masabni said. "Just tip the pots over and gather up the crop."
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 17
outdoor living
GARDENING DECOR! Tips for decorating your garden in style For many of us, our yards are an extension of our living spaces, so when we think of landscaping, we should think of it as we do decorating our homes. Here are some gardening decor ideas to consider. When we decorate our homes, we look at the whole picture. We evaluate each space for its walls, furniture, floors, accent pieces and how all the elements work together in the design. It should be no different when working on gardening decor. We need to look at the whole picture and how all the elements work together to create a well balanced and eye-pleasing outdoor environment with a welcoming ambience.
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER Whether you have a sprawling five acres or a small patio garden, it’s not the size that matters, but what you do with it. Yes, we’ve heard this before, and it makes lots of sense in gardening too!
DRAW IT FIRST You wouldn’t build a house without drawing out the plans first. The same thought and planning should go into your landscape design. Consider the contour of the land and what you want each area to accomplish: Shade, barrier, play, lounging, etc. Think of your garden space as a blank canvas, and your paints will consist of all the elements, both live and accent, that you’ll paint on with your creative mind’s eye. For inspiration, visit the landscape design site.
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THINGS TO CONSIDER IN GARDENING DECOR Patio/deck/arbor/arches If you’re starting from scratch, think about where you would like a relaxing retreat. This will be your place to sit back with a cool ice tea and watch the flowers grow, serve a summer BBQ or sit and chat with friends and family. Grounds Decide which areas will need lawn, gravel, paving material or steppingstones by what purpose those areas will serve and what degree of time you will have to put into their upkeep. Plants and flowers Consult with the friendly fella at your local garden center for plants and flowers that will thrive best in your area. Mix and match your flowers and greenery to be at a variety of heights and groupings. Be sure you take into consideration whether they are annuals or perennials. Remember, annuals will need to be replaced each year, whereas as perennials will need care and pruning to keep them looking prime from season to season. Select a variety of colors, shapes and sizes both in plants and flowers, adding variety to your design. Keep in mind their vertical and horizontal growth patterns.
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 23
outdoor living Garden Decor Containers/pots/urns Whether yours is a large yard or a small apartment patio, a few well-chosen potted plants and flowers strategically placed can add a bit of flair to your design. Today’s garden centers carry a huge variety of sizes, shapes and colors to fit any budget. Trees Select trees that will enhance your design and serve you well through all seasons. In addition to considering trees that thrive best in your particular climate, also consider shape, growth rate, shade, and the amount of litter you can expect. Do you want deciduous trees or evergreens? Weeping willows are beautiful, but are you willing to put up with the flowers and leaves it will drop?
The Pikeville City Park’s makeover has been successful BY AMANDA GOFF STAFF WRITER The City of Pikeville has done a lot of work to make the city beautiful, and big part of its work was a full makeover on the Pikeville City Park. The park has gone through many different stages, but the main focus of the renovations has always been to make it more user friendly. First, the city had the tourism department train car moved from the park to the Hambley Boulevard. That move opened up the space that is now a covered walkway. “The intent was to give everybody a natural flow from the parking garage to the Expo Center,” said city manager Donovan Blackburn. At the same time as the city made the walkway, another big part of the makeover was landscaping. The city hired Anderson Landscaping to do most of the work, but Utility Management Group now has now taken over “UMG has a large indoor greenhouse where we grow a lot of the hanging baskets and a lot of the seedlings for a lot of the plants you see in the downtown area, which it saves the city money,” Blackburn said. After that, the city repaired all of the broken sidewalks and put in two fountains. One is on the corner of College Street and Huffman Ave., the other is a lion’ head that is located more towards the center of the park. 22 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
It also added new black light fixtures to match the ones in the downtown area. In addition, the city has added new benches, trash receptacles, picnic tables, tore down the wall on Huffman Ave. “That was the first phase of what we did, then we came back and reconditioned the gazebo,” said Blackburn. The city added new speakers and sound system to it. Then it added a new picnic shelter on the side next to Big Sandy Community and Technical College and redid the playgrounds. The older play equipment was moved to Bob Amos, and the city added Barney the dinosaur equipment. The most recent addition to the park is the newest three-story, multiple slide play equipment that opened during the week of Hillbilly Days, which Blackburn said was about a $100,000 investment. Right now, the city is getting ready to put in new swings. Instead of four, there will be six and a new tire swing. The city bought the Garfield Center which is affectionately know as the White House in the park. “The park wasn’t symmetrically straight,” Blackburn said. City management was able to negotiate with the owner and bought the house for around $400,000. After six months of renovation and removing the fence around the house, pine trees and black top, the park was straight and had a new facility for gath-
erings. There is a community center of the first floor which can be rented for $35, and the city’s management offices are on the second floor. Blackburn said that the nearly 100year-old house is the first annex building to city hall. Another important part of the park’s makeover that created more green space was the bathroom’s relocation from the center of the park to the side next to the Garfield Center. It cost $35,000 to hire a contractor to physically jack up the bathrooms and move them. This allowed for more sidewalks to make the park more user friendly. After that, the city added a new rock wall on the College Street side to give the park a more historic feel to go with the White House. The renovations in the park has made it more user friendly and more aesthetically pleasing, and as a result people are using it more. Many college students utilize the wi-fi the city added through Southeast Telephone, schools are bringing their students on field trips to have a day of fun in the park and downtown businesses are even benefiting from the growing use of the park. “Seven years ago there was 11 events scheduled for the entire year in the city park,” Blackburn said. “In comparison, we had almost 400 events in the past year,” said Blackburn.
Watering system A major part of a landscape design is the watering system. After all, if plants and trees don’t receive the proper amount of water, all the time and money you put into your landscape design is wasted. Use the drawing of your landscape design to determine the best plan for an underground watering system on a timer. If you or your hubby are inexperienced in this area, then call in the professionals. They will know the best way accomplish what you’re trying to achieve at a minimum cost to you. Lighting A beautiful garden should look just as enticing in the evening as it does in the daytime. Plan a simple lighting system that will subtly showcase your design in the evening, whether you’re viewing it from outside or in. Texture Texture adds interest to your garden design and can be added to your plant and flower groupings with large boulders, rocks, gravel, and tree bark. Determine what will look best in your design plan. Water features A water feature adds a feeling of calm and tranquility to any garden setting. It can be as large as a koi pond or mini-waterfall, or as small as a fountain or water sculpture. Be ready, however, for a commitment to the periodical care it will require. Wall art How brave and daring are you? Consider adding a mural to an adjacent wall. A Tuscan scene or painting of a gate crawling with vines might create a lovely backdrop to your garden. If you prefer not to paint the wall, an alternative might be a framed painting or a piece of wrought iron artwork. Furniture Since you plan on enjoying your garden, finishing off your outdoor space with furniture is essential. Think about how a table set, sofa, chairs, hammock or bench would compliment your comfort and enjoyment of the area as well as add an enticing visual element. Remember to let the furniture color match the your overall design. It’s important to also keep in mind how each furniture piece will handle the weather. Additional accents The final touches in your garden may include accents like a birdhouse, bird feeder, statue, sun catcher, chimes, or lantern. You may choose to personalize your accent with special items, antiques and unique items, like an old wash tub or watering can, used as containers. Just remember, less is more. Too many items will become clutter and detract from the overall look you’re trying to achieve.
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 19
This undated photo provided by The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center shows the Lilium "Eudoxia". "Eudoxia" is a Lily Hybrid achieved by crossing an Oriental lily with a Trumpet lily. Dutch hybridizers are gilding the lily, upgrading the cut flower favorite that also brings long-lasting beauty to gardens. New varieties with deeper tints, stronger stems and softer fragrances are entering the market, prompting retailers to frequently update their web sites and catalogs. (AP Photo/The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center)
Dutch hybridizers are gilding the lily, upgrading the cut flower favorite that also brings long-lasting beauty to gardens. New varieties with deeper tints, stronger stems and softer fragrances are entering the market, prompting retailers to frequently update their web sites and catalogs. These photos provided by The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center. Top: Lilium "Millesimo. Below: Longiflorum Oriental Lily "Gizmo" Roselily Lilium "Belonica" variety of a Double Oriental Lilly.
Lilies arriving in many new varieties DEAN FOSDICK,For The Associated Press Dutch hybridizers are gilding the lily, upgrading the cut flower favorite that also brings such long-lasting beauty to gardens. New varieties with deeper tints, stronger stems and softer fragrances are entering the market, prompting retailers to frequently update their websites and catalogs. "Our customers seem very interested in new lily varieties and they are selling well," says Becky Heath. She and her husband own and operate Brent and Becky's Bulbs near Gloucester, Va. Breeders like lilies because the hybrids can be crossed and their progeny sold more quickly than other bulb flowers, like tulips, that may require a decade or better to develop. Gardeners like lilies because the bulbs are so easy to grow. 20 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
They bloom for a long time," says Sally Ferguson, a spokeswoman for the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center. "As perennials, they're troupers, providing years and years of pleasure. They're colorful and often exquisitely fragrant. They have height (and) excel at blooming above other perennials. Shorter varieties are well suited to containers or patio pots." Lilies are unusual in that they can be planted in fall or spring, she adds. "Being hardy, they thrive either way." It wasn't so long ago that lilies came only in four types: Asiatic, Oriental, Longiflorum and Trumpet (garden-only varieties with tremendous strength). Dutch breeders have been actively crossing those types, producing an average 60 to 70 new varieties each year. Most are developed to boost quality and make shipping easier for the cut flower industry.
Names of the new types point to their parentage. "LO" hybrids, for example, are derived from Longiflorum-Oriental varieties and carry traits of both — notably large blooms and heavy fragrance. That also goes for the "OA" or Oriental-Asiatics, with their bright colors, shiny foliage and softer scent. Then there's the "LA" grouping, or Longiflorum-Asiatic, which exhibit a brightly colored, trumpet-shaped bloom. Add the double-petal and spider varieties and it's easy to understand why flower fanciers are calling this the new golden age of the lily. You can't go wrong with a lily. Most lily cultivars are hardy to minus 20. You can have them in borders, boxes or beds. You can add them to some annuals. You can bring them inside in a vase. Mass them in yards and the clumps will just grow bigger and bigger."
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 21
This undated photo provided by The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center shows the Lilium "Eudoxia". "Eudoxia" is a Lily Hybrid achieved by crossing an Oriental lily with a Trumpet lily. Dutch hybridizers are gilding the lily, upgrading the cut flower favorite that also brings long-lasting beauty to gardens. New varieties with deeper tints, stronger stems and softer fragrances are entering the market, prompting retailers to frequently update their web sites and catalogs. (AP Photo/The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center)
Dutch hybridizers are gilding the lily, upgrading the cut flower favorite that also brings long-lasting beauty to gardens. New varieties with deeper tints, stronger stems and softer fragrances are entering the market, prompting retailers to frequently update their web sites and catalogs. These photos provided by The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center. Top: Lilium "Millesimo. Below: Longiflorum Oriental Lily "Gizmo" Roselily Lilium "Belonica" variety of a Double Oriental Lilly.
Lilies arriving in many new varieties DEAN FOSDICK,For The Associated Press Dutch hybridizers are gilding the lily, upgrading the cut flower favorite that also brings such long-lasting beauty to gardens. New varieties with deeper tints, stronger stems and softer fragrances are entering the market, prompting retailers to frequently update their websites and catalogs. "Our customers seem very interested in new lily varieties and they are selling well," says Becky Heath. She and her husband own and operate Brent and Becky's Bulbs near Gloucester, Va. Breeders like lilies because the hybrids can be crossed and their progeny sold more quickly than other bulb flowers, like tulips, that may require a decade or better to develop. Gardeners like lilies because the bulbs are so easy to grow. 20 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
They bloom for a long time," says Sally Ferguson, a spokeswoman for the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center. "As perennials, they're troupers, providing years and years of pleasure. They're colorful and often exquisitely fragrant. They have height (and) excel at blooming above other perennials. Shorter varieties are well suited to containers or patio pots." Lilies are unusual in that they can be planted in fall or spring, she adds. "Being hardy, they thrive either way." It wasn't so long ago that lilies came only in four types: Asiatic, Oriental, Longiflorum and Trumpet (garden-only varieties with tremendous strength). Dutch breeders have been actively crossing those types, producing an average 60 to 70 new varieties each year. Most are developed to boost quality and make shipping easier for the cut flower industry.
Names of the new types point to their parentage. "LO" hybrids, for example, are derived from Longiflorum-Oriental varieties and carry traits of both — notably large blooms and heavy fragrance. That also goes for the "OA" or Oriental-Asiatics, with their bright colors, shiny foliage and softer scent. Then there's the "LA" grouping, or Longiflorum-Asiatic, which exhibit a brightly colored, trumpet-shaped bloom. Add the double-petal and spider varieties and it's easy to understand why flower fanciers are calling this the new golden age of the lily. You can't go wrong with a lily. Most lily cultivars are hardy to minus 20. You can have them in borders, boxes or beds. You can add them to some annuals. You can bring them inside in a vase. Mass them in yards and the clumps will just grow bigger and bigger."
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 21
outdoor living Garden Decor Containers/pots/urns Whether yours is a large yard or a small apartment patio, a few well-chosen potted plants and flowers strategically placed can add a bit of flair to your design. Today’s garden centers carry a huge variety of sizes, shapes and colors to fit any budget. Trees Select trees that will enhance your design and serve you well through all seasons. In addition to considering trees that thrive best in your particular climate, also consider shape, growth rate, shade, and the amount of litter you can expect. Do you want deciduous trees or evergreens? Weeping willows are beautiful, but are you willing to put up with the flowers and leaves it will drop?
The Pikeville City Park’s makeover has been successful BY AMANDA GOFF STAFF WRITER The City of Pikeville has done a lot of work to make the city beautiful, and big part of its work was a full makeover on the Pikeville City Park. The park has gone through many different stages, but the main focus of the renovations has always been to make it more user friendly. First, the city had the tourism department train car moved from the park to the Hambley Boulevard. That move opened up the space that is now a covered walkway. “The intent was to give everybody a natural flow from the parking garage to the Expo Center,” said city manager Donovan Blackburn. At the same time as the city made the walkway, another big part of the makeover was landscaping. The city hired Anderson Landscaping to do most of the work, but Utility Management Group now has now taken over “UMG has a large indoor greenhouse where we grow a lot of the hanging baskets and a lot of the seedlings for a lot of the plants you see in the downtown area, which it saves the city money,” Blackburn said. After that, the city repaired all of the broken sidewalks and put in two fountains. One is on the corner of College Street and Huffman Ave., the other is a lion’ head that is located more towards the center of the park. 22 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
It also added new black light fixtures to match the ones in the downtown area. In addition, the city has added new benches, trash receptacles, picnic tables, tore down the wall on Huffman Ave. “That was the first phase of what we did, then we came back and reconditioned the gazebo,” said Blackburn. The city added new speakers and sound system to it. Then it added a new picnic shelter on the side next to Big Sandy Community and Technical College and redid the playgrounds. The older play equipment was moved to Bob Amos, and the city added Barney the dinosaur equipment. The most recent addition to the park is the newest three-story, multiple slide play equipment that opened during the week of Hillbilly Days, which Blackburn said was about a $100,000 investment. Right now, the city is getting ready to put in new swings. Instead of four, there will be six and a new tire swing. The city bought the Garfield Center which is affectionately know as the White House in the park. “The park wasn’t symmetrically straight,” Blackburn said. City management was able to negotiate with the owner and bought the house for around $400,000. After six months of renovation and removing the fence around the house, pine trees and black top, the park was straight and had a new facility for gath-
erings. There is a community center of the first floor which can be rented for $35, and the city’s management offices are on the second floor. Blackburn said that the nearly 100year-old house is the first annex building to city hall. Another important part of the park’s makeover that created more green space was the bathroom’s relocation from the center of the park to the side next to the Garfield Center. It cost $35,000 to hire a contractor to physically jack up the bathrooms and move them. This allowed for more sidewalks to make the park more user friendly. After that, the city added a new rock wall on the College Street side to give the park a more historic feel to go with the White House. The renovations in the park has made it more user friendly and more aesthetically pleasing, and as a result people are using it more. Many college students utilize the wi-fi the city added through Southeast Telephone, schools are bringing their students on field trips to have a day of fun in the park and downtown businesses are even benefiting from the growing use of the park. “Seven years ago there was 11 events scheduled for the entire year in the city park,” Blackburn said. “In comparison, we had almost 400 events in the past year,” said Blackburn.
Watering system A major part of a landscape design is the watering system. After all, if plants and trees don’t receive the proper amount of water, all the time and money you put into your landscape design is wasted. Use the drawing of your landscape design to determine the best plan for an underground watering system on a timer. If you or your hubby are inexperienced in this area, then call in the professionals. They will know the best way accomplish what you’re trying to achieve at a minimum cost to you. Lighting A beautiful garden should look just as enticing in the evening as it does in the daytime. Plan a simple lighting system that will subtly showcase your design in the evening, whether you’re viewing it from outside or in. Texture Texture adds interest to your garden design and can be added to your plant and flower groupings with large boulders, rocks, gravel, and tree bark. Determine what will look best in your design plan. Water features A water feature adds a feeling of calm and tranquility to any garden setting. It can be as large as a koi pond or mini-waterfall, or as small as a fountain or water sculpture. Be ready, however, for a commitment to the periodical care it will require. Wall art How brave and daring are you? Consider adding a mural to an adjacent wall. A Tuscan scene or painting of a gate crawling with vines might create a lovely backdrop to your garden. If you prefer not to paint the wall, an alternative might be a framed painting or a piece of wrought iron artwork. Furniture Since you plan on enjoying your garden, finishing off your outdoor space with furniture is essential. Think about how a table set, sofa, chairs, hammock or bench would compliment your comfort and enjoyment of the area as well as add an enticing visual element. Remember to let the furniture color match the your overall design. It’s important to also keep in mind how each furniture piece will handle the weather. Additional accents The final touches in your garden may include accents like a birdhouse, bird feeder, statue, sun catcher, chimes, or lantern. You may choose to personalize your accent with special items, antiques and unique items, like an old wash tub or watering can, used as containers. Just remember, less is more. Too many items will become clutter and detract from the overall look you’re trying to achieve.
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 19
outdoor living
GARDENING DECOR! Tips for decorating your garden in style For many of us, our yards are an extension of our living spaces, so when we think of landscaping, we should think of it as we do decorating our homes. Here are some gardening decor ideas to consider. When we decorate our homes, we look at the whole picture. We evaluate each space for its walls, furniture, floors, accent pieces and how all the elements work together in the design. It should be no different when working on gardening decor. We need to look at the whole picture and how all the elements work together to create a well balanced and eye-pleasing outdoor environment with a welcoming ambience.
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER Whether you have a sprawling five acres or a small patio garden, it’s not the size that matters, but what you do with it. Yes, we’ve heard this before, and it makes lots of sense in gardening too!
DRAW IT FIRST You wouldn’t build a house without drawing out the plans first. The same thought and planning should go into your landscape design. Consider the contour of the land and what you want each area to accomplish: Shade, barrier, play, lounging, etc. Think of your garden space as a blank canvas, and your paints will consist of all the elements, both live and accent, that you’ll paint on with your creative mind’s eye. For inspiration, visit the landscape design site.
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THINGS TO CONSIDER IN GARDENING DECOR Patio/deck/arbor/arches If you’re starting from scratch, think about where you would like a relaxing retreat. This will be your place to sit back with a cool ice tea and watch the flowers grow, serve a summer BBQ or sit and chat with friends and family. Grounds Decide which areas will need lawn, gravel, paving material or steppingstones by what purpose those areas will serve and what degree of time you will have to put into their upkeep. Plants and flowers Consult with the friendly fella at your local garden center for plants and flowers that will thrive best in your area. Mix and match your flowers and greenery to be at a variety of heights and groupings. Be sure you take into consideration whether they are annuals or perennials. Remember, annuals will need to be replaced each year, whereas as perennials will need care and pruning to keep them looking prime from season to season. Select a variety of colors, shapes and sizes both in plants and flowers, adding variety to your design. Keep in mind their vertical and horizontal growth patterns.
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A Feast for the Eyes
Economic Option
Growing vegetables in containers An inexpensive option for patio lighting will likely be a kit that contains 10 or so lights, a programmable transformer, and all the cable and connectors you need.
Growing food in pots can be easier than planting DEAN FOSDICK,For The Associated Press
If you want to install a variety of lights or if you don't like the lights that come in kits, you will need to purchase the components separately.
Two of the hottest trends in gardening are containers and cultivating fresh food, and many savvy families are beginning to combine the two. They're growing their vegetables in pots. Improvements in potting soils and fertilizers have made this a straightforward and generally successful exercise, said Pamela Crawford, a landscape architect from Canton, Ga., who has written four books about container gardening. "It's so easy to put a tomato into a pot. It almost grows itself," Crawford said. "It's a whole different ballgame than putting one in the ground. There's less weeding involved and fewer insects to fight. Container gardens are more productive and involve less work."
Mixing flowers with ornamental vegetables makes good container sense. Cucumbers, coleus and begonias are eye-catching when planted together. Other great potted pairings include rosemary surrounded by lettuce, viola tucked among some long-legged broccoli plants and spinach growing alongside mounded chrysanthemums. Viola and chrysanthemum petals are edible, by the way. Adding flowers also extends the life of the combos, Crawford said. "In many of my containers, with flowers that lived much longer than the vegetables, I simply cut the dead vegetable branches off and left the flowers to fill in the remaining space," she wrote in her latest book, "Easy Container Combos; Vegetables and Flowers" (Color Garden Publishing, 2010). Most any kind of container will serve, provided it has the necessary openings for drainage. Having too much water in the soil is almost as deadly as having too little. It rots the plant roots. Baskets are good choices. So are window boxes, kitchen totes and a whole range of recyclables Vegetables and flowers can do well in including old barrels, buckets and pots, including tomatoes. (Color milk jugs. Just be careful about Garden Publishing) colors and breathability.
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Use short downward-spreading lights not only to light up a path but to light up shrubbery or flowers. Try different colored bulbs for decorative effects.
When choosing a transformer, check its specs or consult a salesperson to be sure that it is strong enough to supply power to all the lights you need.
Shapely pots and colorful plants are a great combination for growing edibles — especially where garden space is lacking. Containers can deliver the goods and in remarkably large quantities. "I've been able to harvest as many as 236 small spicy peppers all at once from four plants in a 16- to 20-inch container," Crawford said, referring to habaneros. "I've also been able to get my fill of tomatoes from a pot that included a few ornamental sweet potato vines with their large root systems. It's amazing how little ground space plants need to be productive. They can tolerate being crowded."
Spread Lighting
Pamela Crawford is author of "Easy Container Combos: Vegetables and Flowers." "I've had good experience with clay pots and plastic pots," said Joseph Masabni, an assistant professor and extension horticulturist with Texas A&M University. "If you live in a hot area, I don't recommend black or dark containers. They can overheat plants. I prefer clay because it breathes if it isn't coated. (Plant) roots are never starved for oxygen." Vegetable gardening in containers is also a good way to involve Vegetables and flowers can do well in pots, includchildren. The size of ing mustard greens and lettuce. (Color Garden Publishing) the project won't be overwhelming, Masabni said. "Practicality is probably the major consideration. Older people who are still gardeners at heart but who live in apartments also can grow their fill of vegetables or small fruiting shrubs in pots," he said. Even people with plenty of land find growing in containers easier with certain produce, such as potatoes, he said.
Silhouetting Lighting Techniques
To emphasize the shape of a tree, shrub, or bed of flowers, try aiming a spotlight or floodlight at a fence or wall from close behind the plant.
Position lights so that they will provide illumination without shining into people’s eyes. Often, this means placing low-voltage lights lower than 2 feet above the ground and standard-voltage lights higher than 7 feet. You can also place lights behind a barrier or use fixtures that provide shielded or diffused light. Most yards benefit from a combination of two or three types.
Downlighting Use lights that point downward to gently light up a patio or walkway, or to accent trees and shrubs. Outdoor lighting can be both functional and aesthetic. A well lit home is also safer and more secure. Illuminated steps, paths and driveways prevent after-dark accidents. Motion detectors light up obscure spots when someone passes by. Photocells automatically turn on fixtures at dusk and off at dawn, providing protection even when you’re away from home. When installing outdoor lights, conceal the light source behind shrubs, tree branches or other foliage -- unless the fixture is a decorative element.
"There's no digging required," Masabni said. "Just tip the pots over and gather up the crop."
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 17
Choose the Best Patio Lighting
Top Crops for Pots Make the most of your container gardens and grow vegetables at home. These tips will help you choose the best plants for your climate and containers.
Lighting options your deck or patio that fit your space, needs, and budget.
Illuminate Good lighting makes a walkway easy to navigate after dark, provides safety and security, and creates a welcoming ambiance. Flexibility is the key. Bright, standard-voltage lights, such as an undereave porch light or a post light, add strong illumination to repel intruders or allow you to walk without tripping when carrying in the groceries. However, they are too glaring for entertaining. Low-voltage lights are mellower, and bright enough for most evening activities. For most patios, a combination of the two types of lighting is ideal. If you already have strong standard-voltage lighting, consider installing dimmer switches so that you can soften the effect when you want.
No ground to garden? Grow summer veggies on the patio. Growing vegetables can bring out the farmer in you. You till the soil and tend the plants, and then reap the rewards when the plants bear fruit. Even if you don't have much gardening space or sunny ground, you can still experience the pleasure of harvesting your own vine-ripened tomatoes and other crops. All you need is a generous-size container, good potting soil, and a patio, deck, or corner that gets at least six hours of full sun a day.
Carrots Soil temperature: At least 55ºF. Spacing: Direct-sow seeds 1/2 to 1 inch apart; thin seedlings 1 to 2 inches apart. Choose a deep pot for carrots with long roots, such as 'Nantes' halflong type (7 inches long). Shallower pots are adequate for shorter carrots such as 'Short 'n Sweet' or round ones like 'Thumbelina.' Don't let the soil dry out.
Here are the top crops for pots, and how to grow them. Pot depth: 18 inches
Pot depth: 14 to 16 inches Soil temperature: At least 70ºF.
Types of Lights Path lights like the one at right, usually have shades that produce a wide, downward spread of light. Lantern-type lights both illuminate paths and provide general lighting.
Soil temperature (at planting time): At least 60ºF Rope lights are strings of tiny, evenly spaced bulbs that can be hung from a tree like Christmas lights. Deck lights can be fastened to a vertical structure such as an overhead or a trellis.
Spotlights or floodlights can be swiveled to point at a feature or an area of the yard. "Brick lights" are shaped to resemble a patio paver and are actually installed in the soil, where they point diffused light upward.
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Courtesy of Lamps Plus/ LampsPlus.com
Spacing: Direct-sow seeds 2–3 inches apart. Pole beans are more productive over the long run than bush beans (which produce their crop all at once). Train the 6- to 8-foot-tall vines on a trellis or tepee made from bamboo poles. Try 'Blue Lake Pole', 'Helda' romano, or heirloom 'Kentucky Wonder'.
With their colorful fruits and attractive foliage, eggplants have outstanding ornamental value. Try 'Black Beauty', an American heirloom with bulbous, purple-black fruits, or 'Little Fingers,' an Asian type with slim fruits.
Spacing: One plant per pot.
Peppers
Soil temperature: At least 60ºF. Spacing: One plant per pot.
Soil temperature: At least 60ºF.
Choose from an amazing array of colors, shapes, and heat levels, from mildly spicy 'Anaheim' to searing hot 'Thai Dragon'. Among sweet peppers, try 'Ariane' an orange bell, or 'Giant Marconi', a long, red one that's great for grilling.
Summer squash is more productive than winter squash. Grow compact varieties like 'Gold Rush' yellow zucchini, 'Spacemiser' green zucchini, or 'Sunburst' scallopini.
Tomatoes Pot depth: 18 inches Soil temperature: At least 60ºF.
Potatoes
Eggplants
Spacing: Plant tubers 6 inches apart.
Soil temperature: At least 70ºF.
Squash
Pot depth: 14 to 16 inches
Bush types like 'Bush Champion' and disease-resistant 'Salad Bush' take up half the space of trailing types. 'Lemon' cuke also bears well on a trellis.
Pot depth: 14–16 inches
Bury seed potatoes in an 8-inch layer of soil at the bottom of the pot. As plants grow, pile more soil up to the top set of leaves. Try small- to medium-size 'All Blue', 'Red Pontiac', or 'Yukon Gold'.
Pot depth: 18 inches
Spacing: One or two plants per pot.
Cucumbers Beans
Spacing: One or two plants per pot.
Pot depth: 9–14 inches
Spacing: One plant per pot.
Pot depth: 18 inches Soil temperature: At least 45ºF.
Potatoes are productive if there's ample room for tubers to develop.
Use small wire cages or stakes to support determinate types (2- to 3-foottall varieties that produce their crop all at once); try 'Bush Celebrity'. Use sturdy 5-foot.-tall cages for indeterminate types (tall kinds that produce fruits all season) such as 'Early Girl'.
Everything Home/Summer 2010 | 25
lawn and garden
outdoor living
PICKING EASY GROWING PLANTS 9 Easiest plants for your yard When planning plants for your yard, it can be helpful to choose hardy varieties that grow easily, especially if you are a beginner gardener. Plants that are easy to grow can add a lot of beauty to your yard because they will thrive and grow lush without a lot of extra effort on your part. Native plants and perennials are often good choices, as are easy-to-grow annuals.
HOSTAS There are so many varieties of hostas that the only difficult part about growing them can be choosing which ones you want to plant. These easy to grow plants love shady areas and will provide a lot of color and texture to your landscape through their beautiful leaves and floral stems. Hostas also tend to spread over time, so you can divide them and plant even more hostas in other areas of your yard.
Inexpensive ways to decorate your patio
DAYLILIES
OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING
Daylilies such as the beautiful "Stella de Oro" are very easy to grow, providing blooms during a longer period of time than many other standard varieties of daylilies. However, even when not in bloom, the greenery of these perennial favorites adds a decorative touch to garden planting beds.
There's just something about entertaining outdoors that makes us wish it could be summer all year long -- enjoying the breeze, basking in the sun and, of course, gathering around the grill. But before you send out the invites for your next backyard bash, take a look at these seven inexpensive ways to jazz up your patio and create a sensational summer entertaining space.
ADD FLOWERS AND PLANTS
BLACK-EYED SUSAN Blooming in late summer and early autumn, this beautiful perennial flower is very easy to grow. These flowers are very disease and pest resistant, and can grow in almost any kind of soil.
Daylilies, Black-Eyed Susans, Hostas and Hydrangeas
LAMB'S EAR
The patio is the area that transitions your indoor living space to the outdoors. Incorporate flowers and plants to add some color and natural appeal. Place plants and flowers in terracotta pots on tables and in hanging baskets. Put several containers together with blooms in the same color scheme. Look for unique pots, ceramic urns and other containers for your flowers and plants at garage sales.
INCORPORATE LIGHTING
The soft furry silvery-green leaves of Lamb's Ear will provide a nice backdrop for other flowering plants in your flower beds. These perennials plants are primarily grown for their unique foliage, and once you plant them, they will easily grow back each year.
Patio lighting doesn't have to be expensive. Try tiki torches, paper lanterns or white Christmas lights for a little ambience. Christmas lights are inexpensive, particularly if you buy them off season at your neighborhood Walmart or other store.
MINT
CREATE COLORFUL BENCHES
Mint varieties are so easy to grow that they can almost be considered to be weeds. In fact, mint is so invasive that it should be planted in metal containers so that its roots do not spread where you don't want mint plants to grow. It can grow in almost any kind of soil, and the foliage is not only attractive but also extremely fragrant.
Buy affordable wood or metal benches, and paint them in bright colors. Add accent throw pillows in coordinating shades for a little comfort and a lot of style. You can also add a hammock or porch swing for relaxing with a cold glass of iced tea and a good book.
PURCHASE BAMBOO MATS
SEDUM
Here's how to make your own area rug for your patio out of inexpensive bamboo mats: Get the same mats that you roll up and carry to the beach; they cost about $5 each. Attach two or three of them together with carpet tape on the underside, flip and put under your patio table.
Also known as "Stonecrop", this beautiful and easy-to-grow perennial has succulent ornamental leaves in addition to attractive blooms in late summer and early autumn. These plants especially thrive in drier soils with good drainage, as wet soil can occasionally cause the stems to rot.
YARROW
MAKE HOMEMADE TOPIARIES
Yarrow is extremely hardy, growing even in dry and poor soil. There are many different varieties of yarrow in various heights and colors. Yarrow grows so easily that it can often tend to crowd out other plants over time, so you might want to keep it confined to a specific area.
Buy dense shrubbery from a garden shop, Walmart or a home improvement store. Use garden shears to cut the shrubs into shapes. They don't have to be elaborate -spheres, cones and hearts will do.
MARIGOLDS Marigolds come in many different sizes, colors and flower styles. They are an annual, which means they must be replanted every year, although in many instances they can reseed themselves. Colors vary from light cream to burnt orange, and will bloom all season until frost. Marigolds will provide a lot of color for very little effort.
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Hostas GROUND COVERS If you have an area of your yard that is difficult to mow, such as a steep bank, try planting an easy-to-grow ground cover such as ivy, ajuga, creeping sedums or pachysandra. Most ground cover plants thrive easily, especially if you choose one that is well-suited to the level of sunlight or shade that the area receives. Periwinkle is a good choice for shade, while plants such as creeping phlox do well in full sun.
UPGRADE TABLES AND CHAIRS Make an old patio set look new again with spray paint. You can buy used patio furniture on the cheap at garage sales and thrift shops.
PAINT THE CEMENT If your patio is worn, you don't have to have it re-done. Instead, paint it! You can use stencils to create the look of brick or tiles. After you are finished painting, seal the patio to make sure the colors last.
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lawn and garden
5 STEPS TO A LUSH, ALMOST PERFECT LAWN While there is no magic pill to achieving a better lawn there are some basic steps you can follow that will go a long way in giving you a lush, healthy lawn you'll be proud to walk over. Here then are the 5 basic steps to help anyone achieve a beautiful lawn. Get the mowing height right for the right time of year. There's a lot more to mowing than just cutting the grass every Saturday. One of the most fundamental steps to a perfect lawn is getting the mowing height right for your type of lawn and for a particular season. Most grasses can survive with a length of 2" - 3". This applies for spring and early fall. In the summer, if possible, set it a little higher*. Never go below the minimum recommended height except for the last mowing of the season which should be around 1.5" for most turf grasses. There are exceptions to this, but if you have a lawn that requires that exception, you already should know your mowing height. Mowing height is important because the length of that grass blade is the part that absorbs sunshine which the grass blade then miraculously converts into food! Imagine if you were a blade of grass and got hungry, all you had to do was stand outside and soak up some rays! There are many that think fertilizer is lawn food, but that's not true. Plants actually make their own food using sunlight. it needs to grow and develop into a healthy plant. In fact, fertilizer isn't even absorbed by the plant as it's put down on the soil. In laymen's terms, the fertilizer that gets put down on the lawn must first go through the digestive juices of a lot of tiny microbes that live in the soil. Only then is it in a form that can be absorbed and used by the plant, not as a food, but as building blocks to build more cells and carry on the process of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Never remove more than 1/3 at any one mowing. This may mean you'll have to mow more often during prime growing times (usually spring and early fall). Leave the clippings on the lawn after you mow. This not only saves time and energy, but the clippings decompose and add vital nutrients back into the soil. Grass cycling recycles plant nutrients back into the soil. Clippings contain the same beneficial nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrients as that expensive bag of fertilizer. In fact, clippings can provide up to one-third of the annual feeding requirement for your lawn. Use a sharp blade The type of mower doesn't matter, but the blade's condition does. A dull blade tears at the grass. Take a close look at a grass blade a few days after mowing. If the blade is dull you'll notice a jagged brown line across the tip of the cut grass. This is a good indication that your blade needs sharpening. Professional mowers sharpen their blades about every 8 hours of use. For most homeowners, twice a year is recommended. The jagged edges caused by a dull mower blade make it more difficult for the grass to fight off pests and disease. Regulate the water intake Over watering your lawn causes more damage than a lack of water. Most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding. Most grasses require 1" - 1.5" of water per week. This is enough water to moisten the soil to 4" - 6" below the surface for clay soils and 8 - 10" for sandy soils. Don't guess at how much water your lawn is getting. For measuring Mother Nature's contribution, invest in a rain gauge. If at the end of the week she's contributed enough, hold off adding more. If she comes up short, you'll want to add some supplemental watering. Again, measure how much water your sprinkler is putting down. You'll have to follow local regulations when there are watering bans, but just 14 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
remember that less water is acceptable and grass is a very resilient plant. When the rains do return your lawn will come back with a little encouragement on your part. Give your lawn a regular, balanced diet-- just don't over-do it! Don't over-fertilize your lawn with too much of a good thing. 4 balanced fertilizer applications a year is plenty: spring, summer, early fall and after the first frost for cool season grasses. If you're in drought conditions, skip the summer application. Never skip the fall application. It’s important to use lawn products by following label instructions. Get the best results by following the directions. Over application will not improve performance. As mentioned above, fertilizers are processed through their interaction with tiny microbes before they can be used. Over-applying fertilizers can create unfavorable conditions for those microbes, even killing them. When that happens, the soil becomes sterile and the grass won't grow. How do you know if you're over applying fertilizers? Get a soil test first. Soil tests should be required before applying anything to your soil.
Prevention is the best medicine for a healthy lawn Preventing problems is better than having to correct them. Consistent maintenance is the key. Repair bare spots as needed. Spot treat for weeds with the right herbicide following label directions. Use pre-emergent herbicides for most grassy-type weeds like crabgrass. Soils can become compacted in high-traffic areas or in areas that have mostly clay soils. Have your lawn aerated once a year, preferably in the fall when soil temperature is around 60 degrees. That's it. Pretty simple actually and easy to follow.
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outdoor living
real estate
Selling your home in tough times (ARA) - A few years ago, it seemed like you could stake a "for sale" sign outside your home and within a few hours you would have multiple offers. Not anymore. Today's tough economic times mean that home sellers need to do their homework, take a more assertive role in marketing their home and, at times, get creative to help their home stand out from others that are on the market. Regardless of how tough the times are, the fact remains that a nice home, well maintained, in a desirable neighborhood, and priced right will sell more quickly than a home that hasn't been kept up or hasn't been priced according to what other homes in the neighborhood would sell for. Whether you're selling your home as part of downsizing your lifestyle or you're seeking a larger home for a growing family, the following steps offered by FindLaw.com, one of the nation's leading online sources for real estate law, can pay dividends in helping you achieve a quick sale and a price that reaches your desired goal. Assemble your team. Most sellers prefer to work with a real estate agent or a lawyer at some point in the process. In fact, in a handful of U.S. states, a lawyer must help finalize the sale. Real estate agents typically charge a commission, about 6 percent, to be split between your agent and the buyer's agent, if any. Lawyers normally charge by the hour. Despite the costs, experienced, responsible professionals can ultimately save you time, money and aggravation. Conduct a pre-inspection. Many states require a home inspection report as part of a disclosure form before placing a home on the market. To make sure your home passes the test, hire a third-party home inspector to conduct a preinspection of your home to help you make necessary repairs and updates before an official inspection. Conduct a comp. A "comp" is shorthand among real estate agents for comparing your home to similar types of homes in your area with similar features, such as square footage, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, etc. This process will help you determine a price range for your home. To get comps, visit open houses, read classified ads (in print and online), and check out Web sites such as www.realtor.com, by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Review actual selling prices. Of course, list prices don't tell you how much houses ultimately sell for - that's the comparable data you really need. In a hot market, houses might go for well over list price, and vice versa. A number of Web sites offer such information, and you may want to carefully watch county Web sites that publish this information for tax purposes. Price aggressively, but not too aggressively. As the seller, of course you would like to get every nickel out of selling your home. The balancing act is finding the right price where you don't have to cut it multiple times to trigger an offer, or a price that is so low that a potential buyer might think there's something wrong with it. Go to open houses. Sellers need to understand what other sellers are doing and offering to sell their homes. The best way to do that is to go to as many open houses in your area and take note of who the potential buyers are, their feedback on nearby homes, and what other sellers are offering potential buyers in terms of price and incentives. Make your home as attractive as possible. Buyers will pay thousands of dollars more for a home that is tastefully decorated and appears in ready-to-move-in condition. The first place to start is to declutter your home. Put away any personal items or items of expression that would detract from a buyer feeling at home.
Create a relaxing outdoor haven at home With the summer season just around the corner, now's the time to freshen up your outdoor living space and make it 'relaxation ready' for the warm months of fun ahead (ARA) - Nothing is more relaxing than a breath of fresh air, which is likely the reason why the lines between indoors and out have blurred immensely. More homeowners are moving their living rooms outside to well-appointed patios and decks, furnishing these spaces with all the comforts of their favorite indoor gathering spaces. Research shows homebuilders are now incorporating two- and threesided outdoor rooms into home plans. Manufacturers too are addressing the trend by providing a wide array of products designed for outdoor living, giving homeowners nearly as many choices to decorate their outdoor living rooms as those inside their homes - including furniture, textiles, lighting, grills and even WiFi-enabled outdoor entertainment systems.
Include enticing entertainment And don't forget the entertainment. Outdoor-friendly systems exist for any budget - ranging from WiFi- or satellite-radio-enabled speaker systems for a little mood music, to high-end comprehensive systems that include plasma TVs and surround sound. All are designed to withstand any weather.
Homeowners are spending as much time and effort on outdoor living projects as they do indoor decorating endeavors. With the summer season just around the corner, now's the time to freshen up your outdoor living space and make it 'relaxation ready' for the warm months of fun ahead."
A fresh coat of paint doesn't hurt either. Fill out the disclosure forms. Some states require sellers to fill out a long form that explicitly asks about the seller's knowledge of various significant or material defects that might be present in the home, according to FindLaw.com. States vary in their requirements. Some states require sellers to disclose water in the basement, leaks in the roof, the use of lead-based paint, or unsafe concentrations of radon gas. Regardless of what your state requires, it's really in the seller's interest to disclose any previous problems to reduce the risk of a lawsuit in the future by a disgruntled buyer. Advertise on the MLS. If you're working with a real estate agent, the agent should help put the property into the online Multiple Listing Service, and maybe in the classifieds too. If you don't have an agent, you can take the same steps yourself (one Web site, www.iggyshouse.com, allows you to put your house on the MLS for free). Interested buyers can then make an appointment to see the house in person. Hold an open house. Many home sellers find open houses a useful tool. They're certainly good for bringing in the crowds. In deciding when to hold an open house, look for opportunities when your area attracts a large number of people from surrounding areas, such as a neighborhood or citywide festival or sporting event. Be prepared to negotiate. Because there are more sellers than buyers in most markets, buyers currently have more leverage in negotiating. Be prepared to respond to a range of concessions, from lower-than-expected offers and requests for the seller to cover the closing costs to decorating allowances and mechanical repairs. On the other hand, as the home seller, you should be prepared to counter by demanding that all serious offers have their financing in place to ensure a smooth sale. To learn more about real estate law, visit www.findlaw.com.
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ther tie together the perfect combination of inside meets outside. Additionally, portable patio heaters are a great way to let you enjoy your outdoor haven even when nights get chilly, allowing you to make the most of your space all season long.
Pep it up with paint One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to spruce up an outdoor area is by refurbishing existing furniture and other pieces with spray paint. While you want furniture to look stylish, you also want something that is easy to clean and maintain, and holds up against rain, heat and sunlight. No one wants freshly painted furniture to fade, chip or rust before the season ends. Lighten up with fabric and lighting Once your painting projects are complete, accent your bold color choices with unique and interesting cushions and throw pillows made from stainand mildew-resistant fabrics. Keep in mind that your new furniture colors and coordinating cushions will "pop" and look brighter with the right kind of outdoor lighting. Depending on how you configure your outdoor living space, you can install lighted ceiling fans, place environmentally-friendly solar accent lighting in surrounding flowerbeds, and use portable lamps designed expressly for exterior use. Add nature ... with a twist Living in the great outdoors wouldn't be complete if you didn't weave in natural elements such as fire and water. A grill, fire pit and water features, such as a container pond, bird bath or waterfall planter fur-
With all of the stylish and unique design options available to help you create your own backyard oasis this summer, why even consider spending your free time indoors? The season lasts only a few months in many climates, so make the most of it by designing an ultimate outdoor living room that's ideal for gathering, cooking, entertaining and relaxing with friends and family. Courtesy of ARAcontent Photos Courtesy of Pottery Barn
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Decks, patios and even a nice porch can extend and enhance our indoor living spaces and our lives.
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real estate
SELL WELL: IT'S TIME TO MOVE! 8 easy but essential steps to sell your home & move to a new house! Researchers say that the whole process of moving to a new home is one of the most stressful events we go through in a lifetime. But with careful planning, attention to detail and a clear focus, the whole process might not be as painful as you'd expect. Find out more here! Can they really afford this house? While there will always be things outside the control of any home seller, those things that you can control can make all the difference. But don't get too far ahead of yourself -- this is the time to plan. Here's what you need to do! 1. Get free valuations and priceless advice. Real estate agents will give you a home valuation for free, because ultimately they hope you'll engage their services when it comes to selling your home. Therefore use the experience of a handful of local and trusted agents who are renowned for their selling success and invite them to come and value your home. Then, ask what he or she thinks you can do to boost the value of your property. Real estate agents spend their entire professional lives checking out houses, so they know what attracts a buyer, what turns him off -- and what you should do in order to have the most successful, profitable sale. Most real estate agents will be happy to give you tips, because if you can increase its value, you can increase the price... and if they are asked to represent you, they will ultimately make more in commissions from the sale! 2. Work out total selling, buying and moving costs. To help with this step, ask one of the real estate agents to give you a break down of all the local fees, commissions, taxes and costs you will likely face when selling and buying. These should include any real estate agent's fees, attorney fees, inspection/surveyor's costs, and any potential capital gains tax. Add to these expenses the costs you will incur when buying a new home -- and remember to include any deposit, mortgage broker fees, survey costs, escrow charges, title company fees and insurance. Last but not least, get a rough quote from a moving company -- typically based upon the square footage of your existing home and how far you're moving. 3. Figure out your budget. You will want to contact your current mortgage lender and ask them if and what penalties and fees you will incur for early repayment of your existing loan. Let your lender know that you are intending to sell your home, and they will give you an up-to-date statement of the amount remaining, which will help you figure out exactly how much selling up is going to cost you in real terms. (This number will, of course, be updated with the most current amount just before close of escrow.)If you have savings, a trust or other financial resources, add those to the amount you'll have on hand to boost your purchasing power. 4. Get pre-qualified for a loan. Now you have to approach a mortgage lender and work with him to determine exactly how much you can comfortably afford to borrow. The broker will consider many factors, including the approximate price of the home you're buying, how much of a downpayment you can make, the status of any existing home's sale, how much you earn, your net worth -- and will take a look at that all-important credit score. The goal is two-fold: to figure out how much you will be able to spend on a new house, and to increase your attractiveness as a buyer -- as you're pre-qualified, they know you're a serious bidder, and should be able to close within six weeks or so. 5. Hire the best real estate agent. Having already met and worked with real estate agents for the valuation of your home, get back in touch with your favorite and ask him or her to help sell your home! If you are in doubt about which agent to choose, talk to friends, family and colleagues in your area who have recently bought or sold a residence and ask for personal recommendations. You need to feel comfortable with the agent you 30 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
choose -- and you need to make sure they will sell your house as quickly, efficiently, honestly and effectively as possible. Once you choose your agent, go through their entire marketing strategy for your home and make sure you are comfortable with their approach and that they are going to do everything required of them to assist you. Also ask them to revalue your home based on the work you have done to it and any market movements that have occurred in the interim. 6. Start to look for your new house. Now you have a clear budget, you can begin the exciting process of searching for a new home. It may seem tedious to get all the financial facts and figures in place before heading off to find that dream house, but by laying the groundwork first, you will be less likely to be heartbroken after you fall in love with an unsuitable, unaffordable home. Instead, you will be preparing yourself for success. 7. Give your home a makeover! While you're still browsing houses, get to work with the repairs, renovations and heavy work needed to bring your house up to the top of the market. (Read more about the whys and hows of prepping the exterior of your home for sale here.) First impressions really do matter, so you will need to review every aspect of your home. What will a buyer"s eye be drawn to -- the room's fantastic proportions or the dead plant in the window? Walk through each room and not only try to look at it with fresh eyes, but your other senses, too. Evaluate how it smells (bad odors can seriously spook buyers) and sounds -- are there any banging pipes, loose floorboards or squeaky doors? As for any improvements you do make, do them well. A patchy or drippy paint job isn't much of an improvement. Neither is installing tile unevenly (even if it's gorgeous), nor is the addition of something like bargain-basement cheap or mismatched faucet sets. 8. Be as flexible as possible. If you can be quick to respond to a viewing request and flexible in terms of close of escrow, you will be doing everything you can to grease the wheels for the sale of your home. And by keeping your home as tidy as possible, you should be able to say "yes" to a viewing request at a moment's notice. Start packing the non-essentials as soon as you decide to move, and rent a storage unit temporarily to get all of that extra stuff off-site. Jump in with both feet Yes, the housing market may be tough -- which really means you have to be that much more prepared in order to compete. But with the smarts and the determination to see the whole home sale process through, you can be loading up that moving truck sooner than you might think!
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home improvement
Secrets to Curb Appeal What kind of first impression does your front entry make? Try these quick-fix ideas to transform your home. TIME TO EVALUATE What constitutes true "curb appeal"? While the term embraces everything between your front door and the street, it doesn't take much to make dramatic style improvements, whether by adding flower boxes, sprucing up the mailbox, or constructing an elegant driveway. With a little faith in your vision, and a few tips from the pros, you can transform a dowdy exterior to an inviting, welcoming entranceway.
CHOOSING AND USING CONTAINERS Whether combined in a group or standing alone, containers add charm and personality to any garden. When your garden needs some punch, containers can be the answer. Place them in strategic locations to draw attention to a specific area, such as the front entrance. At the home shown at left, a large concrete pot is set in the middle of the flower border. When you stand directly in front of the house, the pot is centered on the door. Containers placed on both sides of the landing frame the steps. In spring, red geraniums look great with yellow pansies and daffodils. Variegated ivy is trained to grow up a metal obelisk set on axis with the front door. As the summer's landscape changes, so does the look of the containers.
MAILBOX MAKEOVER Oddly enough, it is the humble mailbox that often creates that first impression of a suburban home. It can extend guests a welcoming visual invitation or give them the cold shoulder. Even the mail carrier was tempted to drive by the nondescript mailbox at left without stopping. It was time for a makeover. To spruce up a plain mailbox, begin by clearing out any surrounding weeds. Ornamental grass makes a nice backdrop, maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus') in particular. Some type of small evergreen, stepping down in height, stands out in front of the grasses and gives the planting an accent during the winter. For added punch, place evergreens in terra-cotta pots. Next, consider adding a copper post cap, brass house numbers, copper tubing, and decorative elements like this copper vase and firefly. Copper tubing is sold in prepackaged coils, so we merely had to unwrap it, stretch it out, and wind it around the post.
HIGHLIGHT YOUR ADDRESS Blending utility with personality, house numbers don't just tell guests where you are; they can also tell them who you are. Their potential ends only with your imagination. Use scavenged materials for an eclectic look, or match your home's decor more closely for a refined look. Placement isn't limited to your front door -- consider planting numbers in a garden bed or affixing them to a retaining wall near your driveway.
FRESHEN YOUR FRONT DOOR New finishes on the door and the floor give this entrance a welcoming new look without costly renovation. A front door says a lot about a home. And it is true that old ones add character. Can the beauty of an antique door be combined with the durability of a new one? It's not as hard as you might think. This mahogany door was gorgeous but a little too new for the homeowners' taste. Instead of waiting a century for it to age, they sought some help from a faux finish artist. The homeowners also wanted a quick fix to mask their unattractive concrete stoop. Removing it would be too expensive for their budget, so the artist gave it a fresh look with paint.
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A summer without cold drinks on hand is no summer at all. Take care now to clean your refrigerator’s condensing coils to keep it running smoothly all summer long. Unplug the fridge, and remove the base plate or top grate. (Check your owner's manual to locate coils.) Use a vacuum cleaner with the nozzle attachment to remove any dirt and lint.
Homekeeping
rating with candles
1 1 Keep Refrigerators Running
1 2 Good-to-Go Garages You’ve got your bathing suit and sunglasses on, sunscreen is applied, and your beach towel is fluffed up and ready to go. All you need now is your beach chair from the garage. Don’t ruin a perfectly good beach day spending hours scouring your cluttered garage.
13 Proper Pool pH As much fun as having a pool is, maintaining one is no picnic. However, if you want to enjoy your backyard swimming hole all summer long, it is essential to monitor pH and chlorine levels. Failure to do so can result in bacteria growth, faded bathing suits, and irritated eyes. 14 Green Lawn Know-how We’ll admit it—the one thing winter has over summer is it allows you to put away the lawn mower for a few months. But now that your dried out brown grass has turned green, it’s time to take care of that baby by fertilizing on a regular basis. Anne de Solene Hydrangea (Mondaine/Prestance) Duvet cover, sheets and pillow shams.
5 Lighter Linens Swap warm flannel sheets and heavy duvet covers for lighter linens with a high threadcount. Choose solid, light colors to give the whole room a breezy feel. A simple, thin coverlet should be enough to keep you warm during the summer months. 6
A Warmer Wardrobe You’ve waited all winter-long to ditch your heavy coat and boots. Don’t let these items take up precious bathing suit, sundress, and flip flop space in your closet.
7 Fireplace Alternatives Put those rotting fire logs outside and bring some life back to your dormant fireplace. A collection of green plants in terracotta pots makes a beautiful summertime display. Just make sure that the fireplace receives a little bit of sun. 8 SPF for Windows There’s no point in turning on the AC if the 32 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
sun coming through a window bakes your living room. Install reflective film, sunscreen-fabric curtains, or roller shades. If you’re investing in new windows, choose panes with a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC).
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Palatable Produce If you want to save money, eat healthy, and help the planet all at once, start growing your own vegetables. Tomatoes, basil, and lettuce are all crops that thrive in warmer weather.
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Be Grill Prepared Whether you’re grilling up brisket in Birmingham or mahi mahi in Miami, summertime is barbecue time. Be sure to have all of your BBQ essentials on hand. If you’re using a charcoal grill, don’t drench the coals in lighter fluid—you’ll just end up with food that tastes like, well, lighter fluid. Instead, invest in an inexpensive chimney starter to quickly and safely light the coals.
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Get All Decked Out Reinvent your deck by finding a great table and set of chairs for dining alfresco. Make your outdoor meal even more special by using real plates and silverware, and deco-
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home improvement
Get Your Home Ready for Summer You’ve been ready for summer since January, but what about your house? Here are 15 reminders to get your home prepped and ready for warm season—inside and out
1 Add Fresh Air Let fresh air fill your home by opening your windows, and place a houseplant next to your bathroom sink to help filter the air. Some of the best air-cleaning houseplants are snake plants, spider plants, English ivy, and smallleafed rubber plants. 2 Let Summer Inside Enjoy warm summer evening breezes through your screen doors. Clean screening and repair or replace it, if needed. Tighten and lubricate door hinges and closers, especially on wooden doors that can become warped with changing temperatures, humidity, and wet weather. The same goes for window screens. 3 Fan-tastic Idea You may not be able to get through the month of May without running your air conditioner—let alone June, July, and August—but don’t discount the value of a ceiling fan. Set fan blades to revolve counterclockwise, which forces the hotter air near the ceiling to mix with the lower, cooler air, leveling out the room temperature.
4 Bugged Out We all have our own remedies for keeping mosquitoes at bay; bug spray and citronella candles are two popular methods. However it’s also a good idea to clear underbrush around trees and shrubs and avoid planting thick vegetation, according to the insect experts at Southern Living. 8 | Everything Home/Summer 2010
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home improvement
A yard with a view BY AMANDA GOFF STAFF WRITER Trish Litafik has had to do very little to make her yard beautiful, since her yard overlooks one of the most beautiful views in Pike County. When you step out the back door, it’s shocking. Litafik said the view reminds her of Tennessee, which shows that you just don’t see views like this everyday in Kentucky. There are mountains as far as the eye can see. They are lush and green like a picture you would see on a post card for the Smoky Mountains. And it’s summer right now, but it is easy to imagine how beautiful the mountains would be with snow, flowers, or fall leaves. It’s something you have to see for yourself,” she said. “Talking about it doesn’t do it justice.” The pool was installed by a previous owner of her house, but Litafik did a few things to enhance her yard. She installed a knee-high red brick fence along the back of her yard that perfectly frames the mountains behind it. Along the sides of the yard, she installed a beige wood fence with brick columns that match the knee-high fence between the wood panels. This also help frames the mountains.
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For lighting around the pool, Litafik had small lights installed in the ground at the foot of each brick column of the fence. “They’re not bright, just spotlights,” Litafik said. “We don’t want bugs.” Also, Litafik added a waterfall to the pool. It is the only thing in her yard that sits in front of the mountains, so it commands your attention. The waterfall is small and simple with a planter on top. The green plants blend in with the mountains behind them. There is little in her yard to take away from the gorgeous view of the mountains. For the most part, everything is a neutral color. Litafik and her husband like to sit outside in the mornings and watch animals. She said they see animals like deer, turkey and fox. “There are just so many animals,” Litafik said. “Sometimes there will be 10 to 15 turkey in the road in the mornings.” They also like to have people over to use the pool and enjoy their yard. “We like to use the pool for more than just holidays.” She said. Litafik likes to have friends come over on weekends to swim and relax. Even though the neighborhood she lives in lies within the Pikeville City Limits, Chloe Ridge is still a well-kept secret. “So many people don’t know that there’s anything up here,” Litafik said. “I didn’t know there were houses up here.” Litafik says she loves living on Chloe Ridge because it’s such a clean neighborhood. She was accustomed to all the dirt and grime that comes from all the coal trucks, but her current neighborhood is the complete opposite. It’s quiet with very few cars driving around, and there isn’t a piece of garbage lying around anywhere. “It’s worlds apart from what I’m used to,” Litafik said.
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SUMMER 2010 Home Improvement 8 Get your home ready for summer 10 Secrets to curb appeal Outdoor Living 13 Create a relaxing outdoor haven at home 15 Inexpensive ways to decorate your patio 16 Choose the best patio lighting 18 Tips for decorating your garden in style Lawn and Garden 20 Gardening new lily varieties 24 Growing vegetables in containers 25 Top crops for pots 26 9 Easiest plants for your yard 27 5 Steps to a lush, almost perfect lawn
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Outdoor Living
Real Estate 28 Selling your home in a tough market 30 8 Essential steps to sell your home
By Tracie Vanderbeck
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Just like the inside of your home, your outdoor space should have designated areas for the many different things you and your family may do, from hobbies and relaxing to entertaining and recreation. Decorate your outdoor rooms just like you would the interior of your home, with fine patio furniture, weatherproof accessories, and integrate the same overall color scheme. Consider these outdoor room and living area options: • Dining areas and outdoor kitchens are common elements of a modern backyard landscape design. This may be as simple as a grill and picnic table or as elaborate as a custom outdoor kitchen with stainless steel accessories and fine patio furniture.
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• Outdoor living rooms can serve many purposes and many upscale homes incorporate more than one outdoor living area to serve these functions. Plan this living space with consideration to the time of day it will be used and the amount of sunlight desired. These areas can be used for relaxing, lounging, entertaining, and even recreation and may integrate interesting decks, beautiful patios, or terraces into the design plan.
EVERYTHING
HOME Publisher: Jeff Vanderbeck Advertising Director: Mike Davis Section Design: Special Publications Manager Tracie Vanderbeck
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Advertising Design: Andrew Littleton Jamie Beckett Sales Representatives: Lynn Massey Melisa Keller Tony Thacker Ashley Smith Krista Duty Aimee Thacker
A Special Supplement to the Appalachian News-Express 201 Caroline Avenue, Pikeville, Kentucky 606-437-4054
• Outdoor areas designated for recreation will depend on the hobbies and interests of you and your family. Swimming pools, outdoor spas, workshops, and sports areas are all possibilities and can be tastefully integrated into your backyard landscape design. • Living spaces designed specifically for sitting, lounging, or simply enjoying the beauty of the garden are equally important. These areas are often centered around a focal point of your landscape design, like a fountain, pond, or sculpture and are usually accented with comfortable seating.
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