Home&Real Estate
OPEN HOME GUIDE 48
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Home Front
A ROSE IS A ... UC Master gardener Judith Cody will offer a free workshop on “Sustainable Organic Roses� on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 9 to 11 a.m., at Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto. Topics range from rose history and anatomy to nasty pests and diseases and how to use the latest organic sprays to control them. Handouts are included. Information: Master Gardeners at 408-282-3105, between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday or http://mastergardeners.org IRRIGATION BASICS ... The City of Palo Alto Utilities Department is offering a free workshop on “Residential Irrigation Basics,� focusing on installation and maintenance, on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lucie Stern Center Community Room, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. The workshop will include how to irrigate trees while maintaining a landscape that uses minimal water. Information: www. xioweb.com/host/cpaureg/ or 650329-2241. TREE WALK ... An arborist will lead a free tree walk through the Community Center neighborhood on Saturday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m. Can’t make it that day? A self-guided tour, which lists the names of trees and their location, can be found online. Information (and to register): www. canopy.org/pages/about-trees/ canopy-tree-walks.php or call 650964-6110 x2
This Japanesestyle organic edible frontyard garden, a collaborative work in progress, creates interest and beauty in the neighborhood and produces wonderful edibles. text and photos by Judy Maier here are many styles of gardens, and likely one that best suits you, your house and your environment. But no matter what the style, a quality that sets one garden apart from others is the element of surprise. Some people may think of it as whimsy, but surprise does not have to be whimsical — it can just be something not expected. The unexpected comes in many different forms and is a wonderful way to add interest to your garden. For instance: s JUST THE RIGHT CURVE IN THE PATH THAT TAKES YOU TO AN UNEXPECTED VIEW OR GARDEN room; s THE SOUND OF WATER COMING FROM SOMEWHERE CALLING YOU s A CHANGE IN HARDSCAPE MATERIALS THAT SIGNIFIES YOU ARE ENTERING A DIFFERENT PART of the landscape; s REPETITION OF A CERTAIN PLANT AND THEN THE SURPRISE BREAK IN REPETITION s A PAUSE ALONG THE WAY PERHAPS IT IS A SERENE LANTERN NESTLED IN A PLANTING THAT gives you a sense of calm and makes you feel you’d like to linger; s THE TRANQUIL SOUND OF WATER FROM A WATER FEATURE YOU COME UPON
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SUCCULENT WREATHS? ... Robin Stockwell will teach a class on “Succulent Wreath Makingâ€? on Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Filoli, 86 CaĂąada Road, Woodside. Students will go home with plant materials and the know-how to complete one 12-inch wreath. The fee, which includes materials, is $125 for nonmembers, $105 for members. Information: 650-364-8300 or www.filoli.org FABMO WORKSHOPS ... In addition to the monthly free fabric distribution, FabMo is offering a series of new workshops this month, including: Baby Girl Clothing (Aug. 15, 9 a.m. to noon, $35); Decorative Pillow Covers (Aug. 15, 1 to 4 p.m., $35); What Can I Do With That? (Aug. 16 and Sept. 13, 7 to 9 p.m., $12); Flower Power! (Aug. 20, 1 to 4 p.m., $30), at which flowers will be made using fabric, wallpaper and other repurposed materials; and Reversible Summer Hat (Aug. 27, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., $50). The workshops are held at FabMo’s Creativity Center, 2423 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View. Information: www.fabmo.org/workshops/ workshops.html. N Send notices of news and events related to real estate, interior design, home improvement and gardening to Home Front, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302, or e-mail cblitzer@paweekly. com. Deadline is Thursday at 5 p.m.
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ADDING AN ELEMENT OF
surprise Personalize your garden with a sense of whimsy ... or not
A number of designers have contributed to this landscape, which uses levels, texture and color along the meandering path leading around the lower garden. These beauties would add a whimsical and unexpected site in any garden.
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