LP Spring Home and Garden Guide by Postmedia Saskatchewan

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Home&Garden 2020

Guide

Your local guide to renovating, gardening, decorating and more!

www.derksonfencing.com

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Home&Garden 2020

Guide

CONTENTS Garden scene 2020: Colourful ﬂowers, mini veggies

Living big in small spaces

EDITOR Jeannie Armstrong

Bee friendly: Invite leafcutter bees into your back yard

2030 VISION: What will our homes and vehicles be like a decade from now

Six reasons your home insurance could be cancelled

Wheatland Rooﬁng celebrates 25 years

Three tips for renting out your space

Beautiful living: Design trends for 2020

Benjamin Moore unveils Colour of the Year

WRITERS Hilary Klassen Andrew Livingstone Wendy Livingstone Carol Todd Michele Tyndall DESIGNER Lesley Cockburn THIS SECTION WAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT DIVISION.

29th year, opening April 17, 2020

We have a large selection of: Seeds & Seed Potatoes, Bedding Plants, Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Water Plants, Perennials, Trees & Shrubs

Hours:

April 9am - 6pm May - Aug 8am - 9pm Sept - Oct 8am - 6pm Follow us on Facebook PLANT RANCH

5909 13 Ave W

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Now’s the time to start planning this season’s flower and vegetable gardens. Explore the latest plant varieties by checking out seed catalogues and visiting local garden centres. GET TY IMAGES

Garden scene 2020:

BY CAROL T ODD

Colourful flowers, mini veggies

Spring is here and with it come thoughts of warm summer days, barbecues and yards bursting with blooms and bountiful veggies, all surrounded by lush trees and shrubs. With a full range of new products, along with the tried and true, available at garden centres and online, gardeners of every age and level of experience can look forward to a year of happy gardening. Now mostly available online, there remain a few companies that continue to offer the paper catalogues in addition to their online sales of seeds and plants. One such is T&T Seeds of Manitoba, celebrat-

ing its 75th year, with a hard copy catalogue full of planting tips, anniversary specials and nuggets of history. Back in 1946, brothers Jerry and Paddy Twomey started a seed order catalogue business in Winnipeg and the rest, as they say, is history. The first colour cover was printed in 1957; computers came along in 1981. In 1997, the business moved to Headingley, Manitoba, with a 16,000 square foot warehouse, a large refrigeration area for rootstock and an acreage for test plots. The company was sold to Jarret and Jackie Davidson in 2016, but members of the Twomey family continue to be involved, with one of Paddy’s

sons, Brian, as the operations manager and the eldest son, Kevin, as general manager. Kevin is also the photographer and puts the catalogue together each year. Prairie gardeners lost a dear friend, advisor and plant breeder with the passing of “Uncle Jerry” in 2008. His homespun snippets of advice included in the catalogues often proved invaluable, and the plants he developed were internationally renowned. As a mere sprout of 24, he developed Margaret Beaton, a pure white gladiola with a scarlet blotch. Named after his grandmother, the flower won first prize at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. This year,

in celebration of the anniversary and in memory of one of the company’s founders, T&T Seeds offers an Anniversary Gladiolus Kit, with everything needed to grow three glads similar to the ones designed by Jerry. In addition to all the weird and wonderful colours of vegetables that gardeners have seen in recent years, like purple peppers and beans, and orange cauliflower, Kevin Twomey says there is increasing interest in smaller cucumbers and tomatoes. “One of the biggest sellers – you’d think it’s tomatoes, but it’s cucumbers. We sell more cucumbers than anything else,” he says. New this year is

Green Light, a mini cuke that is picked when only three or four inches long. The plants can each produce up to 40 cucumbers. “More and more people are growing the mini cukes. That’s the trend in the grocery stores, the smaller cucumbers, the snackable ones,” Kevin says. The new tomato, a “big seller” Kevin says, is Evans’s Extra Early, developed by Dr. Evans from Devon, Alberta. It’s a mid-sized tomato said to be 10 to 15 days earlier than other tomatoes. T&T Seeds is also celebrating Manitoba’s 150 anniversary this year as well as its own 75th and is offering The Manitoba Collection, featuring three of the popular

tomatoes that were developed in Manitoba: Prairie Pride, Manitoba and Charlie’s Red Staker. This year, flowers continue to come in every colour of the rainbow, and maybe where least expected, like the multi-coloured Perfecta Tri- Colour Amaranthus, which gardeners will know as the full red Love Lies Bleeding. Petunias, in their various shapes, sizes and colours are always popular with gardeners, and Kevin says there is a lot of interest in the climbing petunias, like this year’s new Tickled Pink, a climber with bright rose-purple flowers. Purple shows up elsewhere, especially in the new poppy.

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The Anniversary Gladiolus Kit, featuring the Margaret Beaton gladiola developed by Jerry Twomey in the 1930s, is being offered in celebration of T&T Seeds’ 75th anniversary. PHOTO: KEVIN TWOMEY, T&T SEEDS

“The biggest new item in the catalogue this year,” he says is the Lauren’s Grape, a dark purple poppy with a white centre. Kevin says sunflowers are also popular and can be different from the sunflowers we knew in the past, coming in a range of colours and heights. New this year is Strawberry Blonde, with light lemon and rose-pink flowers around a dark centre. One of Kevin’s favourite flowers – and a yearly must have for gardeners in the know – is one that won’t be found posing prettily in the catalogues. Gardeners will agree with his description of Evening Scented Stocks as “the ugliest plant in the world” and will happily ensure they buy enough seed and plants to line their patios and walkways to enjoy the

lovely aroma these less-than lovely plants emit when the sun goes down. From flowers to vegetables, and from shrubs to trees, there are numerous choices available for gardeners, regardless of their experience or the size or condition of their yards. And increasing number of people are taking the step to grow their own, especially when it comes to vegetables. In a cyclical business that can follow the trends of the marketplace and the vagaries of the weather, Kevin says business is, well, growing. “More people are getting into it,” he says of vegetable gardening. “A lot of people are realizing that the food in the food chain isn’t good overall, so they want to grow their own. They’re more interested in nutrition

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The Prairie Pride tomato is one of three tomato varieties developed in Manitoba, called the Manitoba Collection. PHOTO: KEVIN TWOMEY, T&T SEEDS

and health now,” he says. In addition to providing nutritious food, gardening also delivers additional health benefits. The physical activity of gardening helps to increase flexibility, strength and stamina. Being outdoors provides exposure to sunshine, boosting serum vitamin D levels.

And a 16-year study of men and women aged 60 and older in Australia, found that physical activity, particularly gardening, reduced the incidence of dementia by 36 per cent. To start planning this season’s garden plot, visit ttseeds.com.

Living big in small spaces The steady increase in demand for urban living is fueling a drive to build more condominium and apartment spaces in Canada’s largest cities. The trade-off is often tight living quarters – smaller footprints to fit in as many apartments and condos as possible in a designated area. Such designs make it almost impossible to install the fullsize appliances you would find a detached home out in the suburbs or country and still live comfortably. But you don’t have to sacrifice these luxuries completely for urban living. “A quick look around any of Canada’s major cities tells you there are a lot of condos going up,” says Meaghan Wilkinson, Director of Marketing for Hisense Canada. “When it comes to outfitting these con-

The Hisense RB15 counter-depth fridge is stylish and roomy, offering 15 cubic feet of space without taking up too much of a footprint. PHOTO: HISENSE

dos, homeowners can still get all the features they want, but just in more suitable compact size for their home.” Some of the options available to urban condo and apartment dwellers include: • Counter-Depth Fridge – Esthetically pleasing, counter-depth fridges are all the rage in kitchen design. They fit in with the cabinets without any odd protrusions sticking out. For a condo or apartment, a fridge offering about 15 cubic feet of space is ideal. It has the space you need to keep all of your food fresh without taking up too much of a footprint. The Hisense RB15 models – available in stainless, black stainless and white – are stylish and roomy, featuring a bottom-mount freezer, pocket handles and a hidden digital touch display.

• Space-Saving Refrigerators – If space is really tight, look to a space-saving fridge between six and seven cubic feet. Larger than a compact bar fridge but still suitable for tight spaces, these can be found with an interior top-mount freezer and space saving storage, it fits great in smaller kitchens. A stainless finish gives it an upscale appearance. • Portable AC – As cold as the Canadian winters get, the summers are hot, sticky and humid. Unlike a window unit that restricts comfort to a single room, portable air conditioners only require a simple-to-install window kit, making them relatively simple to move from room to room – with the ability to spread cool air over 500 square feet. • Big Screen TV – It wasn’t

that long ago when you needed a big room to accommodate a big-screen TV and the cabinet that contained it. But this is one area where your small living space doesn’t have to dictate the size of the TV you buy – provided you get the right features. ULED and Quantum Dot technology provides a great picture, no matter where you are sitting in relation to the TV. Builtin Android platforms provide thousands of viewing options, including popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and CraveTV. If your walls aren’t big enough for a TV larger than 55 inches, there are still great 4K UHD options that offer exceptional picture and sound for an optimal viewing experience. For more information, visit hisense-canada.com.

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Refresh and restyle your kitchen

IN JUST A FEW DAYS! Discover the ease and convenience of refacing kitchen cabinets BY WENDY LIVINGSTONE KITCHEN CABINET STYLES and colours have seen remarkable developments in recent years. New cabinets can be bright and colourful, soft and subdued, or warm and rich. Colours with names like brushed aluminum, natural walnut, denim Supermatte or high gloss black are now bringing a new personality to the standard kitchen. Two-tone kitchens are also becoming popular, so you don’t even have to restrict yourself to one colour choice. But although a kitchen can transform the atmosphere in the entire home, the headache and hassle of replacing kitchen cabinets is something that most households are not eager to embrace. Few families relish the idea of having their kitchen unusable for weeks – or perhaps months – on end. The kitchen is not only a spot for the preparation of nearly every meal, it’s also an important piece of the family dynamics as a place to get together to chat, do homework and entertain guests. Renewed Kitchens offers an alternative to kitchen cabinet replacement. By utilizing the existing structure and refacing the cabinets, the kitchen can have its much-needed facelift without having to be torn apart. “The kitchen is really the heart of somebody’s home,” says Dwayne Hipkiss, owner of Renewed Kitchens. “And when you

don’t have your kitchen, well, life gets really tough. People have told me about how they have had to wash their dishes in the bathtub for weeks on end because they don’t have access to their kitchen. With us, we come in, and customers can typically still use their kitchen every day. Not in a full capacity, but we clean up every day and they are still able to utilize it as we go along.” Because cabinets don’t have to be torn out when they are refaced, many other renovations, such as the installation of new flooring, the re-configuration of plumbing, and changes to electrical installations can be avoided. If your home already has a new backsplash or new countertops, these will not need to be replaced when cabinets are refaced. Added to the fact that refacing often costs 20 to 40 per cent less than replacing, the total savings can be substantial. Renewed Kitchens’ showroom pieces are brought to your home, so you can be sure that the samples you are viewing will match that new countertop and your existing colour scheme – in your home’s lighting conditions. “This is especially beneficial for those folks that have already made the investment in a high-end countertop. We come in and we make the cabinets look beautiful to match the countertops and backsplash that they have put in,” says Hipkiss. However, if you wish to upgrade your countertops, Renewed Kitchens’ craftspeople can custom-build new countertops. Although the existing cabinets stay in place, changes can be made to include decorative features, modern conveniences,

and organizational aids: crown moulding, under-counter lighting with valances, glass doors, lazy Susans, wine racks, corner shelfing, pantries and islands can be added; space can be increased to make room for a larger fridge; lower cupboards can be replaced with drawers; and organizers can be added. The first phase of installation involves removing cabinet doors and drawer fronts and discarding them. Next, any structural changes, such as those as listed above, are made. Then, a thin laminate coating that matches the doors

rest of the home, Renewed Kitchens can also reface china cabinets, fireplaces, and cabinets in bathrooms and laundry rooms. The new products are maintenance-free. “They don’t absorb moisture or grease and remain true over the entire life of the door. There is not an issue with chipping. If someone

BEFORE

and drawer fronts is adhered to the cabinets with contact cement and trimmed with a router to smooth the edges. Finally, the new doors and drawer fronts are installed. The cabinetry’s hardware is replaced because older kitchens often have hinges that are visible on the outside of the cabinet. “Everything is converted to a European hinge, which is on the inside. This really cleans up the look of the cabinetry,” says Hipkiss. “We also offer soft-close drawers and soft-close doors, so they are not banging when they close.” To harmonize the new kitchen with the

AFTER

threw a cleaver at your door and put a ding in it, the nice thing about an engineered door is that, as long as the colour is still available, that door can be replaced and it will look identical to all the other doors in the kitchen, whereas if you have a stained product, stain over time absorbs into the wood more, and the colour changes. You will never get a stained door three years down the road to look like the ones you have in your kitchen,” says Hipkiss. Learn more at www.renewedkitchens.com.

THIS STORY WAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT DIVISION, ON BEHALF OF RENEWED KITCHENS

• A FRESH NEW LOOK WITHOUT A MAJOR RENOVATION • NO HIDDEN PLUMBING OR ELECTRICAL COSTS • NO NEED TO DECORATE OR CHANGE FLOORING • NEW CABINET ADD-ONS • BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

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SALE!

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NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. COUPON EXPIRES MAY 31, 2020.

For a FREE In-Home consultation call 306.584.3340 or visit www.renewedkitchens.com

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The futuristic city of Singapore has been called a global leader in embracing technology and inspires visions of the future.

PHOTO: DAN NGUYEN

2030 VISION:

What will our homes and vehicles be like a decade from now? BY HILARY KLASSEN

“Hey Google, I’m home!” What will life be like in 2030? Technology has come a very long way from those lamps that turn on when you clap your hands. But are we ready to exchange terms of endearment with a resident robot? The digital revolution we’re currently in – what some are calling the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” -- has reached full gallop. As the pace of change accelerates, we’ll face more questions about how ‘smart’ we want our homes (and lives) to be and, on a collective level, how futuristic our cities

will become. If you happened to see the 2018 movie, Crazy Rich Asians, you caught a glimpse of the futuristic city of Singapore, where urban life has been reimagined. It’s a place where Canadian futurist, Nik Badminton finds inspiration. “They’ve reclaimed tons of land, they’ve built these huge futuristic structures in parks and places like the Marina Bay Sands and the Science Museum that just are sort of redefining what our future looks like for us.” Badminton has shared his awe-inspiring vision of the future with world-leading organizations like the United Nations (a recent keynote

address dealt with “resilience frontiers”) and NASA, as well as world governments, including the government of Canada and the UK Home Office, tech companies and universities. Badminton hosts CTV’s Future Fridays and his research and opinions have appeared on BBC, VICE, Sirius XM, CBC, CTV, Global News and beyond. Badminton recently moved to Toronto because, he says “it’s where everything is happening”. If Singapore is leading the world as a futuristic city, what should we expect in Canada? His 2030 vision explores what our vehicles, homes and workplaces might be like in just ten short years.

Badminton believes on-demand vehicles will loom large in that future. “In 10 years, many people will start to use on-demand self-driving vehicles,” he says. In this vision, private vehicle ownership could become a thing of the past. People would ‘order’ a car through their phone app and it would drive itself to their location. A monthly fee – possibly in the neighbourhood of $300 to $400 — would be paid for this subscription-style service. The cost could go down with critical mass. Companies similar to Lyft and Uber or versions of municipal transportation could provide it. Taxis may no longer be needed.

Canadian futurist Nik Badminton

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As the Kuromon Market in Osaka is about to close for the evening, a little girl makes friends with a robot. PHOTO: ANDY KELLY

With big discussions about climate change and fossil fuels currently taking place, vehicle manufacturers are at a crossroads. What type of vehicle will dominate the future? “I drive an electric vehicle (Chevy Bolt) and it’s the inevitable future,”

says Badminton. Recent moves by GM and VW to stop producing hybrids and shift their focus to manufacturing full-on electric vehicles bears this out. What about our homes? Ten years isn’t that far away, and Badminton says homes

will seem very much the same. But he identifies a range of technologies being developed today that we could potentially expect to see in our homes: Artificially-intelligent home assistants will evolve from voice systems like Alexa

into home help care robots and in-home devices that can diagnose disease and coach you on health and wellness. Augmented Reality systems will build movies and entertainment around us in the home. We may even have entertainment rooms where we can become part of immersive experiences. Bioreactors will allow people to grow their own protein from animal cells – pigs, cows, chickens – and greens as well. Solar-battery systems allow for 100 per cent off-grid homes that can generate income for the owners by providing electricity into the grid. Regenerative concrete and building materials will heal themselves using embedded nanotechnology (atom-sized machines that bind together the atoms of broken materials)

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The level of in-home technology will be determined by individual preference and likely, affordability. Badminton says he has a fairly lowtech home. He owns record players and books and when he’s home, tries to keep his phone off and not use his laptop. Some homeowners will want more technology to control systems, while others will want less in order to simply avoid having too much technology. “I would like to see modern homes built to be sustainable and good for the environment with renewable energy sources and diverse environments that bring people together – live-work spaces, co-living, more areas for people to connect in, open data that allows us to all learn,” he says. Badminton sees the biggest changes coming to our work-

places. “I do think that as jobs devolve into tasks, gigs and shorter contracts, which is the trajectory that we are on, we will see more people being mobile and working on the road and in co-working spaces versus offices. Workplaces will have to provide better environments for people to be together in overall,” he says. Some people love to talk in ‘dystopian futures’ where artificial intelligence is the looming ogre threatening the workforce and putting everybody out of work. But Badminton says humans will be far from irrelevant, they will be central to the solution. “At no point in history has technology been introduced and destroyed economies. But we’re at a point where things like automation can actually change economies drastically. So, it’s how we react to that change that’s important.”

Three tips for renting out your space for additional income According to a recent poll, four in five Canadians who are interested in hosting on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb cited additional income as the main reason they would open their home. There is demand from everything from spare bedrooms to cottages and listing space is easy, simple and secure. With many Canadians looking for accommodations during the holiday season and spring break, the next few months are an ideal time to try out hosting for the first time. In fact, some shortterm rental sites estimate you could make as much as $830 per month just by sharing a room in your home. To help you start earning some extra money, and

maybe even make some new friends, follow these tried and true steps: 1. List your space for free on a site. Whether you have a second bedroom or a second home, you can offer your extra space with no sign-up charges or membership fees. Be sure to check local laws to see what restrictions there may be on hosting in your area. Remember to include plenty of high-quality pictures to show off your space and increase interest from potential guests. 2. Decide how you want to host. Hosting gives you the flexibility to choose your schedule, price and requirements for guests. Ensure your online hosting service allows you to list house rules like no

Short-term rentals of a bedroom or suite in your home can help generate additional income. PHOTO: NEWS CANADA

pets, parties or smoking and check to see if they provide a host guarantee or insurance. 3. Welcome your first guest. Once your listing is live, it’s ready to book. Make sure that the site you use offers a mutual review system and a secure method to communicate with guests ahead of their stay. Be sure to provide check-in instructions including contact information, Wi-Fi passwords, your neighbourhood guide, house rules and any other vital information guests may need to get situated and comfortable. Local tips and recommendations go a long way towards creating a truly memorable stay. Find more information at airbnb.ca/host. (News Canada)

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Beautiful living:

Design trends for 2020 BY MICHELE TYNDALL

Getting ready to design a new home? Or maybe re-design one special room in your existing home? To make your space a 2020 s h o w p i e c e , t h i s y e a r ’s colour scheme is going to include a return of the fall favourite, the colour brown. “There are some strong trends popping up that align with our vision at Citizen Design Company. These trends are getting us really excited: lots of texture; warm, earthy and brown tones; as well as bold mono-chromatics. Yes, you heard that correctly! Brown is back! Muddy tones, terra cotta, beiges, grieges and mushroom tones are returning with a vengeance,” said Carli Rodger, lead designer and owner of Citizen Design Company in Regina. The first decision, of course, is whether your changes are going to be full scale renovations, or refreshing the décor of existing rooms with a great new interior design. The concept you choose will determine the cost and time needed to make your changes. Starting with a consultation, a designer can help educate you on the entire process, steps to take, timelines, budget and all the project specifics before the job even begins. It’s not always easy to understand the choices involved in your project, and an interior designer is a great trusted advisor when you are starting out. “We understand that

for homeowners, starting a new project can seem confusing and daunting. A designer takes so many educated factors into account that many homeowners are unaware of. Working with a designer might be an entirely new process for many homeowners, but it is so worth the investment if they are doing an interior renovation,” said Rodger. Some of the most recent trends in design can often be more simple than expected. There is a lot of mixing new and old elements in 2020 which canbe a win-win in that you don’t have to completely gut your space to bring it up-to-date. For example, new minimal and clean-lined kitchen range-hoods that feel both modern and architectural are being paired with rounded and ribbed kitchen islands and millwork, all changes that can be done while using the existing structure of the kitchen. “We are also happy to announce that we launched our e-commerce platform: Citizen + Co. Shoppe.” said Rodger. The Citizen + Co. Shoppe is a one-stop collection of modern and neutral pieces that can reflect bright and airy, or dark and moody trends, and includes signature pieces such as candles, greenery, blankets, pillows and more. An interior design firm such as Citizen Design Company is a great choice for new builds, commercial work and large-

Citizen Design Company brings spaces to life by pairing crisp, clean lines with layers of warm textures and natural elements. SUPPLIED PHOTO

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Citizen Design Company creates custom interiors for new builds and renovations, individually tailored to each client’s needs SUPPLIED PHOTO

scale renovations as well. Once your consultation has determined the scope of the work, the team will also be there to collaborate with contractors and tradespeople to achieve your vision from the ground up. With a combination of creativity and communication, your project will result in a beautiful final product that reflects your personality throughout. From freshening up a bathroom with the latest in marble accents or soothing plants and art, or constructing a dream home made up of open spaces and multi-purpose rooms, having a knowledgeable ally along the way will make the

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project easy and exciting. “We always suggest that homeowners reach out to a qualified designer that has a similar style and vibe to theirs before beginning a project, especially if they are unsure of the design style. There has to be continuity throughout the project. At Citizen Design Company, we take the fear and unknown out of working with a designer,” said Rodger. If you’re ready to create a unique living space this year, visit Citizen Design Company to check out their past renovation projects, new builds and commercial projects, or visit their website at thecitizendesignco. com.

Benjamin Moore unveils 2020 Colour of the Year Benjamin Moore, North America’s favourite paint, colour and coatings brand, revealed its Colour of the Year 2020 as First Light (2102-70) – a soft, rosy hue blooming with potential. With a new decade on the horizon, the industry leader took a fresh approach to mark this milestone. This approach both embraces and transcends colour to re-examine the concept of the home as we know it, while exploring how it will continue to evolve over the next 10 years. With celebrations in both New York City and Toronto, this much-anticipated luminary moment drew leading interior designers, architects, painting contractors, media and influencers to experience the unveiling. “We selected First Light (2102-70) as our Colour of the Year 2020 to represent

Benjamin Moore has selected a soft, rosy hue – First Light (2102-70) – as the Colour of the Year for 2020. SUPPLIED PHOTO

a new dawn of idealism, design and living,” said Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore Director of Colour Marketing and Development. “First Light (2102-70) reflects a new definition of the home – a shift in mindset from the material to satisfying the core needs in life: community, comfort, security, self-expression, authenticity and ultimately, optimism.” This modern definition of dwelling replaces long-standing post-war ideals, shining light on a new era of design rooted in fluidity for the multigenerational, multifunctional and different states of mind now found under one roof. Ten harmonious hues have been selected to guide us into the next 10 years and beyond, the Benjamin Moore Colour Trends 2020 palette features: First Light (2102-70) White Heron (OC-57)

Crystalline (AF-485) Windmill Wings (2067-60) Buxton Blue (HC-149) Golden Straw (2152-50) Thunder (AF-685) Cushing Green (HC-125) Oxford Gray (2128-40) Blue Danube (2062-30) “The Colour Trends 2020 palette plays an integral role in supporting these core human ideals,” said Magno. “Colour is powerful but highly subjective, especially through the lens of different generations, relationships and moods. But from the saturated to bright and airy, all are easy to live with and easy to love – whether they stand alone, in a strong pair, or all cohabitate.” To learn more about the Benjamin Moore Colour of the Year and Colour Trends 2020 palette, or to find the closest Benjamin Moore retailer, visit benjaminmoore. com.

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Bee friendly: Invite leafcutter bees into your back yard BY CAROL T ODD

Ever wonder what those little blue “houses” are out in the fields as you drive down a prairie highway? They’re homes for leafcutter bees, the friendly little insects that are important to the development of many plants, helping them pollinate to get growing. Now they can come live by your home, too, bringing their benefits to the plants in your yard. Jed and Kathy Williams of Imperial, SK, provide backyard pollinator kits for homeowners to encourage pollination and plant growth. The Backyard Pollinator is an individual block of leafcutter bee nesting habitat, which contains bee larvae ready to hatch in warm weather. Homeowners simply place it in a dry, warm area and sit back and watch. Never fear – leafcutter bees are unlikely to sting unless trapped in clothing. They are solitary creatures, with no hive or queen to defend. With no hive, they also don’t make honey. What they do is provide a chance to watch nature at work, while giving the plants in your yard an extra pollination boost, making them healthier and more likely to produce better quality blooms and harvests. T he Williams’ began their journey toward supplying homeowners with bees in Australia, where Jed grew alfalfa seed. After marriage to

BRING ON THE BEES! There are numerous plants, annuals, perennials and even shrubs that will invite the bees into your garden. Chief among them is bee balm, also known as bergamot (Monarda), whose flowers come in a range of reds and pinks. Marshall’s Delight is fully hardy for our zone and, in addition to attacting bees, its leaves also make a nice tea. Other flowers that will have the busy insects making a bee-line for your yard include pansies, snowdrops, peonies, lavender, phlox, marigolds, sunflowers, snapdragons, liatris, black-eyed susans, lilacs, honeysuckle and many others. And don’t forget the herbs – the flowers of borage, thyme, chives, mint and oregano also attract bees.

Among the products offered by The Backyard Pollinator is this cedar pre-built solitary bee barn, with nesting block. THE BACKYARD POLLINATOR

Kathy and moving to Saskatchewan, they began farming here in 2002 and keeping leafc utter bees to pollinate their alfalfa. Soon little blue bee houses sprouted in their fields along with the crop. They began selling their

excess bees into, mainly, the United States market, before offering their bees to homeowners. “The general public’s interest in bees has increased in the past few years and led us to explore the opportunities to sell our bees in-

to the hobby market,” Jed says. The Williams now grow 6,000 gallons (60 million) of bees and their Backyard Pollinators are available at a number of retailers in addition to online. Leafcutter bees are

Bee balm (Monarda) will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard.

Home & Garden known as super-pollinators because of the way they carry pollen in the hairs on their underside. This pollen easily drops off as they move from flower to flower. Leafcutter bees are summer pollinators and like to fly and pollinate when the temperatures are 23°C and higher. In addition to flowers, they help pollinate summer-blooming garden plants such as cucumbers, strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes. “Many of our customers comment that they are noticing fewer bees in their gardens than in past years and they are happy to have

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a small amount of leafcutter bees in their yard,” says Jed. The Backyard Pollinator makes it easy to have leafcutter bees in your yard, Jed says. “As a solitary, non-aggressive species, there is no protective equipment required to obser ve and be around t h e s e b e e s ,” h e s a y s . The nesting block must be kept dry – a sheltered location under an eave is good, Jed says, adding it requires patience for the bees to get going. “It takes 23 days at 30°C for the larvae to fully develop and hatch. We recommend

putting the nesting blocks containing larvae outside on the May long weekend,” he says. If it’s a cool spring, the hatching will take longer. The nesting block, containing about 200 dormant larvae, is familiar to the bees and, with adequate food sources nearby they will almost always stay close and lay their larvae in the Backyard Pollinator for next year. Information on using and storing the Backyard Pollinator is included with every purchase. With increased interest in the Backyard Pollinator, the Williams plan to continue to provide

leafcutter bees to pollinate their own alfalfa for seed, and to bring great blooms and summer vegetables and herbs to homeowners. “There are people of all ages who have a great amount of interest in bees, and we’re pleased to increase the awareness of our leafcutter bees as a super pollinator,” Jed says. As evidence of that, in addition to being offered online, the Backyard Pollinator is now available at several retail outlets. And, that’s just the bee’s knees. Mo r e i n f o r m at i o n i s available online at backyardpollinator.ca.

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Leafcutter bees are known as super-pollinators because of the way they carry pollen in the hairs on their underside. This pollen easily drops off as they move from flower to flower. PHOTO: SHUT TERSTOCK

Six reasons your home insurance could be cancelled Whether you’re renting or own your home, insurance is essential for protecting your belongings against many dangers. But if your insurance is cancelled, you’re not protected. Your insurance coverage can be cancelled by you or the insurance company. If the insurance company cancels, you will have to report that to every insurance company you contact afterwards. That means you’ll be forced to pay more money every month as a sort of

penalty. You can always use a site like LowestRates.ca to find the best rates on home insurance, for free. Now, here are six reasons why your home insurance could be cancelled – and how to avoid them: 1 . No n - p a y m e n t o f monthly premiums: Many customers don’t know insurance companies are charged $20 each time they attempt to take a payment from an account with insufficient funds and will cancel a client if this happens repeatedly.

The best thing to do if you are short on funds is be proactive and let your insurance company know ahead of time. 2. Change in risk or too many claims: An insurance company may cancel your policy if risk factors have changed (for instance, if the risk of your property flooding has increased due to climate change) or if you’ve made too many claims. 3. The insurance company decides not to renew: This one is out of

your hands. If an insurance company decides to stop servicing a certain region or community, they can decide not to renew. However, this situation won’t impact your record. 4. Fraud, misrepresentation or nondisclosure: Lying to obtain or lower your insurance can lead to immediate termination, as if the policy never existed. This includes failing to provide requested information or providing false informa-

tion. So, always be truthful in your applications and claims, it’s not worth the risk to lie. 5. Unrepaired damage: If you make a claim for damage on your home, you need to repair the damages with your claim reimbursement. Many insurance companies will require proof of repair through photos or contractor invoices. 6. You switched providers without notification: If you’re going to get

home insurance elsewhere, let your current insurance company know immediately. Many insurance companies auto-renew policies. If you don’t cancel or notify, it can be a black mark on your record. Looking for a better rate on your home insurance? Try a site like LowestRates. ca, which compares insurance companies for you for free, ensuring you’ll always have the best price. (News Canada)

10/3: CANADA. COVERED. Stay plugged in to the 10/3 podcast for Canada’s top news stories. Presented by Postmedia’s national network of award-winning journalists twice a week. Hosted by Dave Breakenridge.

Insurance companies may cancel your policy if you’ve made too many claims or if risk factors, such as flooding, have increased. PHOTO: NEWS CANADA

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Wheatland Roofing celebrates 25 years BY PAT REDIGER

Alison Smith says there’s a sticker on her computer that says success is no accident. It takes hard work, perseverance, learning , studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing. It’s a statement that pretty much sums up the 25-year history of Wheatland Roofing, the company founded by Alison and Mike Smith. Wheatland Roofing has grown from their kitchen table to its own building, including warehouse, shop, showroom and administrative offices. It’s a long way from the days of 1995 when they risked their entire $4,500 savings to start a new approach in the roofing industry. The couple had been working in the retail sector and were interested in starting their own business but they weren’t sure what would work best for them. When their own roof needed repairs, they had difficulty finding a contractor they were comfortable with or had the customer service they were seeking so they ended up installing the roof themselves. While Mike was on the roof, he would get inquiries from people who needed their own roofs replaced. That’s when it struck them that the business they were looking for was literally – right over their heads. “We sort of mulled it over for a year looking at different opportunities, but this kept coming up,” said Ali-

Committed to quality workmanship, excellent customer service and ongoing innovation, Mike and Alison Smith founded Wheatland Roofing 25 years ago. SUPPLIED PHOTO

Wheatland Roofing’s new showroom opened in 2016 at 509 6th Avenue East. Open year round, the showroom offers informative displays of the latest shingle styles and colours, VELUX skylight and sun tunnel displays and a model roofing system. SUPPLIED PHOTO

son. “It’s recession proof in that you always need a roof and a roof protects the biggest investment of your life. So if your roof is worth protecting, then it really needs to be done right.” A n d w i t h t h at , t h e y began their own business with a handful of jobs. Mike quit his job while Alison was at home with five kids and one more on the way. They had no money for marketing and they missed the deadline for a listing in the phone book, but they pressed ahead anyway. Their original target was three roofs a week, but by the end of the year, they were installing four to five roofs a day. “One of the keys that made this different is that we were going to run this company,” explained Alison. “Mike was probably only on the roof for three months and making sure that the people he hired were going to do the installs at the level we wanted it to be. Then he was supervising throughout the day and doing estimates. I was at home during the first year and we operated out of the house.” By the end of their first year in business it was clear that they would need to move into a new office and shop. Less than a year later they had already outgrown their office and had to relocate to larger quarters. As the company expanded, the Smiths were committed to learning the latest best practices and incorporating new technol-

ogy. For example, cellular phone service in Saskatchewan was in its infancy when they started so Mike and Alison used a longrange walkie-talkie system provided by SaskTel to keep in communication with their work crews. Today the company uses drones to inspect difficult-to-access roofs. They incorporate new building products into their lineup and ensure that their staff are properly trained on the latest installation techniques. As well, the company joined the Better Business Bureau in March 1995 and they have been an accredited business with an A+ rating for 25 years. Alison became the first female president of the Regina & Region Home Builders’ Association in 2000 and three years later she become renovation council chair of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association. In this position she was able to network with renovators, boards and politicians from across the country, which provided further ideas for the company. The Smiths also believe that it is important to give back to your community. That’s why they were five-years sponsors of the George Reed Foundation, which supports disabled, disadvantaged and disengaged members of society. Alison also chaired the foundation’s gala. Wheatland provided free roofs each year to people and or-

Home & Garden ganizations in need. In fact, in 1999 the company installed five roofs for Habitat for Humanity in one day. For the last few years they have been working with the Regina Trades and Skills Centre and they’ve donated materials for a new roofing system for the students to install as part of their training. Last year they donated a roof to a non-profit daycare and another one to deserving homeowners. “We’ve always given back to the community because the community has always supported us,” said Alison. “Everybody has been very good to us and we feel that we have an obligation to give back.” The couple are also pleased to have their family join them in the operation. Two of their four sons, Logan and Turner, work

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Wheatland Roofing makes the installation of your roofing system a positive experience, by using high quality, innovative products and providing excellent customer service. SUPPLIED PHOTO

for the company, as well as daughter-in-law Victoria. That’s not to mention all of the second-generation, nonfamily employees. As well,

more than 50 per cent of the company’s installers have been Indigenous. Although Wheatland has seen many changes over

the years, there are still some things that remain the same. The owners are still committed to customers and keeping on top the

latest trends and technologies. “It’s important that we keep up to what’s going on in the industry,” said Alison.

“We need to be innovative because roofing is changing and there’s always new products on the market and people need to be trained.”

BASEMENT & FOUNDATION REPAIR SPECIALISTS (LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED)

HOW STRUCTURALLY SOUND IS YOUR HOME? The foundation of every home is its basement. Your basement has the vital job of supporting the entire house – from floors, walls, doors and windows, right up to the rafters and roof. When that support system is damaged or flawed, big problems can occur. DON’T IGNORE THESE EARLY WARNING SIGNS Homeowners should be on the alert for signs of foundation damage: • Structural damage: Foundation problems can cause structural damage within your home, including warped or sagging flooring. Soil movement under the foundation can also cause walls to crack and bow. RSR TO THE RESCUE If your foundation is showing signs of damage, the basement and foundation repair specialists at RSR Construction will come to the rescue.

We have the solutions to your foundation problems, including:

• UNDERPINNING HOUSE LEVELING • COMPUTERIZED LIFTING SYSTEM • WALL BRACING & REPAIRS • EXTERIOR WATERPROOFING • INTERIOR WATERPROOFING • SUMP PIT INSTALLATIONS Locally owned and family operated, RSR Construction has over ten years of experience in repairing foundations and waterproofing basements in the Regina area. Providing hands-on expertise, the RSR team will handle the job from start to finish. Fully licensed and insured, we’ve worked hard to attain our reputation for quality service. That’s why we’re confident in providing our customers with a ten-year warranty on workmanship.

Call or email for FREE QUOTE 306 520-7280 | rsrconstruction@sasktel.net | rsrconstruction.net

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