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MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BACK YARD!
Your back yard is entertainment BY HILARY KLASSEN
In case you haven’t heard, the entertainment industry has relocated. Goodbye Hollywood –hello back yard! After long months of hibernation, we’re ready to take the party outdoors. With the boom of the outdoor living trend, we’ve witnessed many homeowners embrace designs that facilitate the seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living. Now we’re ready to take that transition to its natural next step: effortless entertaining, a big trend in 2017. “Families small and large demand well-designed landscapes with casual and warm gathering places for family and friends, to extend a nod to pure socialization,” says Neil Robinson, Co-Creative Director along with Delores Wionzek at Garden Architecture & Design (GAD) in Saskatoon. The duo has been inspiring people with luxurious options for interior and exterior spaces since 2004, from their central Riversdale location. “After long work days, meetings, and chauffeuring our kids, our back yards have
become our sacred meeting place to reconnect and relax,” Robinson says. Garden Architecture & Design sets the scene with beautiful softseating arrangements, fire tables, touches of greenery, accessories and subtle lighting, all of which allow us to sink comfortably into summer. This season’s top trends are inspired by the elements – earth, air, fire and water. The elements form the ideal background for eclectic selections, fun pieces to enliven outdoor spaces. “You can put together your outdoor room exactly how you see it, by mixing metals with wickers, concrete and outdoor graded porcelain, allowing your individual personality to shine through.” Colours holding sway this year reflect island life, with coastal colours and bright hues of the rain forest balanced by creams, whites and soft greys resulting in harmonious shades that reflect our lives. Cushions and toss pillows facilitate the blend of contemporary and traditional styles and the bohemian and global cultures of the earth,
This season’s top trends in outdoor furnishings are inspired by the elements: earth, air, fire and water. (PHOTO: GARDEN ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN)
with their patterns and prints. Fountains and other water features bring additional vibrancy to outdoor spaces. Robinson says poufs have become the ‘it’ accessory to enhance furnishings in the selected space, with their ability to double as tables, stools, and seating, bringing more into the circle. But the ultimate ambience comes from the element of fire. “Now that the groups have gathered, and the seat-
ing has been taken up, there is still no better way of extending the season than a warm inviting fire to add to the ambience of a welldesigned living space,” says Robinson. Styles are so vast, if you can imagine it, it has been created. From sleek concrete composites, traditional porcelains, or low coffee table-styled powder coated aluminums, to stunning hammered copper tops, firechat tables serve a dual-pur-
central
pose. They are functional tables for al fresco dining as well as sources of heat for extending beautiful evenings. In fact, outdoor spaces themselves serve a dual purpose. They provide that sacrosanct sense of escape and retreat, which preserves intimacy and privacy for one or two or the family circle, and they can be tweaked to enhance the larger gathering of souls inclined to be social, to laugh and linger. Privacy screens and seating components can be rearranged to either pull the circle in or expand it. A visit to Garden Architecture & Design is a sensory experience that will lead you into an exceptional assortment of curated furnishings for outdoor living. You’ll encounter outdoor courtyards and conservatories that create the sense of a European garden. And you’ll feel like you’re in a glossy magazine, with page after page unfolding with new discoveries. It’s why Robinson and Wionzek say the in-store shopping experience is essential. At GAD it’s the experience that draws you in,
THIS SECTION WAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT STUDIO.
and makes you ponder how to create a similar experience for yourself. Most of us don’t have the design sense to know how to pull together an exceptional outdoor space. It’s not just about grabbing a few pieces of furniture. It’s about creating an inviting outdoor room that communicates peace and tranquility. It’s also about choosing lasting items that will stand the test of time. “More people are looking at outdoor living as an investment, an important priority that becomes a standard when choosing pieces to fit the needs of the family,” says Robinson. That standard is reflected in the quality, durability and attentive customer service on offer at GAD. “As spring approaches and consumers begin the search for all the right pieces, there is no better feeling than knowing we are right around the corner, and we are more than ready to serve you,” says Robinson. Visit the store at 315 Avenue A South for GAD’s design expertise and explore gardenarchitecture.ca at your leisure for more inspiration.
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Get inspired at Gardenscape 2017 BY JENNIFER JACOBY-SMITH
The 28th annual Saskatchewan Blue Cross Gardenscape Backyard Lifestyle Show is back, March 24 to 26 at Prairieland Park. The annual event continues to draw large crowds to enjoy three days packed with garden and backyard focused entertainment, information, tradeshow displays, demonstrations, education and more. Last year, Gardenscape drew 23,864 people. This year’s event promises to be just as exciting as previous years with more new exhibitors and the
Science of Super Dogs providing added entertainment. “It gives audiences a chance to see the dogs doing amazing things and learning about the science that makes all dogs super. It’s quite unique,” says Susan Kuzma, special events manager at Prairieland Park. The amazing acrobatics and tricks of the super dogs will mesmerize young and old alike. After each show there is a “pat and chat” for the audience to get up close
and personal to the playful pups. Admission to the Science of Super Dogs is included when purchasing a day pass to Gardenscape. The Speakers’ Theatre and How-to Stages will showcase a variety of local industry experts on a wide range of topics such as best seed and companion planting, food preservation, and designing an oasis on a budget. How-tos will cover tree and shrub pruning, tropical plants, succulents, and container gardening. “Everyone is talking a lot about growing your own (garden). We see a lot of people wanting to have their own backyard gardens again,” says Kuzma. “They can come here and learn step by step, right from the basics.” The display gardens are a place where you can find an unusual plant to add to your garden or a new way to plant an old favourite
or just soak in mother nature’s captivating beauty. In preparation for the show, Prairieland Park planted 7,200 bulbs including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth. They also planted a large number of the centennial tulip – called the Canadian Celebration – in honour of Canada’s 150th birthday. Kuzma adds the plant of the year is the coral bell. “You’ll see a lot of coral bells throughout the display gardens. There will be specific gardens just for that plant, just to show it off and the different types of coral bells.” The trade show provides a great place to comparison shop or explore the different options for upcoming backyard projects and see the latest trends in outdoor and patio décor. The displays can help you make the best choice for your project – or even decide if you want to hire an expert to do it all. Local experts can offer advice and products to help you achieve the back yard of your dreams. A floral display area will feature arrangements by several florists in the city. “It’s really quite stunning some of the things they come up with,” says Kuzma. “They’re really quite creative. And very beautiful.”
There’s delicious food too. The Prairie Berry Café offers up the best local creations using berries and sour cherries grown right here in Saskatchewan. It’s hard to believe Gardenscape has been going strong for 28 years. Kuzma says the show is one of the top three garden shows in Canada and is one of the few that remains exclusively a garden show. Whether your yard project this year is small or large, you’ll want to check out all the experts and displays at Gardenscape next weekend. Admission is $12 a day. Twoand three-day passes are available as well. Because there is so much to see, it’s hard to take in all in one day. Children ages 15 years old and under get in free. And don’t forget to enter to win the door prize of $1000 backyard bucks. The winner gets to choose to spend their Backyard Bucks at any exhibitor at the show. For more information or to see a full schedule of demonstrations and information sessions, visit www.gardenscapeshow.ca. The schedule is handy when planning your visit. A plant auction takes place at the end of the event – 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Gardenscape returns to Prairieland Park for three days packed with everything you need to create the perfect backyard lifestyle. The Science of Super Dogs will also provide entertainment. PHOTO: SASKATOON PRAIRIELAND PARK CORP. SAS00370433_1_1
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CHANGING GEARS Urban farmers start a chain reaction
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They know where their food is coming from; it’s just as good as their own yard. SCREW PILE FOUNDATIONS
Ideal for decks, additions, garages, cabins and more
BY ASHLEIGH MATTERN
Jared Regier is passionate about building sustainable systems. He and his wife Rachel Regier own Chain Reaction Urban Farm, a bicycle-powered urban farm that converts unused space in Saskatoon to grow food for their subscribers. Both former teachers, they started their farm in summer 2015, drawn in by its promise of an active lifestyle and its ability to create a healthier community. Chain Reaction is a new system for food distribution in the city, and Saskatonians love it: Subscriptions for 2017 became available on Jan. 1, and were sold out by Jan. 4 (though you can still buy their produce at Steep Hill Food Co-op and Herbs ‘N’ Health from June to October). Jared says the number one reason people subscribe to the service is because all of Chain Reaction’s food is grown locally with no harmful chemicals or pesticides. “They know where their food is coming from; it’s just as good as their own yard,” Regier says. “When I was teaching, I wanted to have a garden – I believed that eating fresh, locally grown food free of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers was good for me and the environment, but I didn’t have the time to invest in it. There are a lot of people like that… they don’t have time to grow their own food, but this is food they can trust.” They also deliver the fresh veggies to subscribers who live in the Riversdale, King George, Holiday Park, Buena Vista, and Nutana neighbourhoods. Since all deliveries are done by bike, members outside those areas come to the Regiers’ house for pickup. Memberships are available in three sizes: the $25 per box Starter Kit, the $35 Standard Share, or the $50 Backyard Bounty. Chain Reaction has 15 weeks of harvest each year, and they give their subscribers a variety of vegetables
Win a Deck Foundation Visit our Booth # 326 at Homestyles & enter a FREE draw! (Retail value of $1,000.00) For a free estimate, please call Dan at Chain Reaction Urban Farm runs on pedal power. Transporting tools and produce by bike is just one example of Chain Reaction’s sustainable farming practices. PHOTO: CHAIN REACTION URBAN FARM
each week, along with a recipe that uses several of the items in the box. Regier says many of their members are returning to cooking from scratch, or want to learn how to cook from scratch, and having a recipe helps. “People have this idea that they want to eat fresh, locally grown food, but if they’re not used to using that in their kitchen, it can be overwhelming at first.” One of the challenges of running a farm is dealing with the quantities of food produced. Regier says he wants the business to be economically sustainable and to minimize waste, which is a challenge when crops can do better or worse depending on the weather. That’s where the Backyard Bounty subscribers help: If a crop is doing too well, those members will take the extra produce. They pay more for the extra food they get, and they have to be savvy savers who know how to freeze, can, or prepare the excess. This close relationship between the food producers and consumers is a huge aspect of Chain Reaction. “The membership is a really important part of the farm. It’s important that these people have chosen to invest in a farm, and that investment guarantees them with food, which is missing from the food system right now. We expect things will be there
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Gentle Earth Design Studios Ltd. 25 year experience
Your Dreams of an Outdoor Space-Fulfilled Phone: 306-343-8594
email: GentleEarthDesigns@shaw.ca Website: GentleEarthDesigns.com Both former teachers, Rachel and Jared Regier set out on a new career path as urban farmers two years ago, establishing Chain Reaction Urban Farm. The couple has converted unused spaces in the city into productive garden plots, growing high quality organic produce, free of pesticide and synthetic fertilizers. PHOTO: CHAIN REACTION URBAN FARM
in the grocery store, but one day things could get cut off suddenly.” The bicycle-powered aspect of the Regiers’ system is also important. Researchers estimate that in standard food production systems, it takes S E E G E A R S O N PG 4
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anywhere from 10 to 15 calories of fossil fuels to produce one calorie of food energy. Chain Reaction uses almost no gas to grow their food. “Logically anyone that has that knowledge would start to make another plan. We know fossil fuels are going to run out.” In the future, he’d like to expand the number of plots they have, and potentially build greenhouses to supply members with fresh greens over the winter. He does not have plans to turn his business into a city-wide urban farming empire, however. Instead, he says other urban farmers should get in the game and grow food for their own neighbourhoods. He encourages homeowners to grow their own food, too. “Just start growing something. Buy seeds and you’ll start learning immediately from either failure or success. Give it a try.” If you’re interested in learning more about gardening, Saskatoon’s Seedy Saturday seed exchange is on April 1 at Station 20 West. Along with offering workshops and other learning opportunities, it’s a great event for buying seeds that grow well in Saskatoon’s climate.
Jared Regier tends to one of the many garden plots that he and his wife Rachel have planted in Saskatoon. PHOTO: CHAIN REACTION URBAN FARM
EDITOR
Jeannie Armstrong
WRITERS
Jennifer Jacoby-Smith Jesse Green Hilary Klassen
DESIGNER Lesley Cockburn This section was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content studio.
Ashleigh Mattern
Lacking space for tools, toys and garden equipment
Subscribers to Chain Reaction receive a box of fresh veggies every week throughout the 15-week harvest. Chain Reaction also sells its produce at Steep Hill Food Co-op and Herbs ‘N’ Health. PHOTO: CHAIN REACTION URBAN FARM
Spring is just around the corner! Preparing a garden for spring and summer involves assessing any damage that harsh weather might have caused. As temperatures climb, gardeners can heed the following postwinter garden preparation tips in an effort to ensure some successful gardening in the months ahead. • Assess the damage. Even if winter was mild, gardens might still have suffered some damage. Inspect garden beds and any fencing or barriers designed to keep wildlife from getting into the garden. Before planting anew, fix any damage that Mother Nature or local wildlife might have caused over the past several months. • Clear debris. Garden beds and surrounding landscapes that survived winter without being damaged might still be littered with debris. Remove fallen leaves, branches and even litter that blew about on windy winter days before planting season. Make sure to discard any debris effectively
so it does not find its way back into the garden. • Turn the greenhouse into a clean house. Spring cleaning is not just for the interior of a home. Cleaning a greenhouse in advance of spring can help gardeners evict any overwintering pests that can threaten plant life once spring gardening season arrives. A thorough cleaning, which should include cleaning the inside of greenhouse glass and washing flower pots and plant trays, also can prevent plant diseases from surviving into spring. • Check for pests. Speak with a local gardening professional to determine if there are any local pests to look out for and how to recognize and remove these pests from gardens. Pests may hibernate in the soil over the winter, and such unwelcome visitors can make it difficult for gardens to thrive come spring and summer. • Assess plant location. If plants,
flowers or gardens have struggled in recent years or never grew especially vibrant, then gardeners may want to assess the location of their plant life before spring gardening season begins. Some plants may not be getting enough sunlight in certain locations on a property, while others might be overexposed to the sun during spring and summer. Moving plants that are not thriving prior to the start of spring gardening season may be just what gardens need to flourish in the coming weeks. Spring gardening season is right around the corner, so now is an ideal time to prepare gardens for the warmer seasons ahead. (MNS)
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Plant a garden sure to attract
birds, bees and butterflies BY JESSE GREEN
The magic of pollination is all around us. Pollinators are to thank for everything from delicious cups of coffee to cute new cotton sweaters to the tasty fruits and veggies on the table. Plants grow with showy colours, shapes and smells to attract generation after generation of bees, butterflies and birds who use and deliver the pollen. It is no secret that pesticides, genetically modified crops and loss of habitat have taken their toll on the monarch butterfly and the honey bee. Aside from those two well known pollinators, there are hundreds of other species of insects and birds that rely on nectar and pollen. And we, in turn, rely on them. The wonderful news is there are some simple, lowmaintenance actions that can make a real difference for these eco-heroes. You can help whether your outdoor space is an apartment bal-
cony, a sprawling yard or a shared courtyard. Janet Wanner gives us tips on how to attract these busy and beneficial visitors to our spaces. Wanner is a Master Gardener with the University of Saskatchewan and the principle designer with Gentle Earth Design Studios Ltd. • Old school - so cool Old-fashioned and native flower varieties pack the best punch for nectar and pollen. Look for native varieties like zinnia, goldenrod, black-eyed Susans and butterfly weed, just to name a few. They are practical for pollinators and they are chic too, with many landscape designs leaning towards a more natural feel to contemporary yard designs. Using native plants means you are working with the exact right conditions; the soil, temperature and seasons are just what the plants need. They are automatically going to produce seeds, nectar and bear fruit when they are
needed and can provide shelter and food for mammals, birds and insects alike. Herbs are also wonderful producers for pollinators and can jazz up your latest supper dish, too. • Tis the season It does pay to do a little research on your plants and flowers’ blooming schedule and aim for a series of blooms throughout the growing season. The iris will bloom for about three weeks early on, then its tall and striking foliage provide shelter and good looks throughout the season. In contrast, the goldenrod is known for its lovely fall colours and being a late bloomer that provides that last store of nutrition for bumblebees and butterflies. • Au naturel, please If you are planting with birds, butterflies and bees in mind then stay clear of pesticides, even those that claim to be natural. They eliminate more than just weeds. Often
Old-fashioned and native flower varieties like zinnias pack the best punch for nectar and pollen, ideal for attracting bees, butterflies and birds. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
the pollinators visiting flowers will be on pest-control duty by feeding on aphids and slugs. The hoverfly’s larva will consume aphids, mealybugs and other pests. This is an insect you want in your garden! • Gimme shelter Our little winged pollinators - bees, butterflies and others - need shelter to lay eggs, escape the rain and to hide from their predators. This can be as simple as letting a small section of lawn grow, or planting wild grasses or piling up grass cuttings. Depending on your tolerance level for the untidy, a dead log in full sun can be home to butterflies and solitary bees.
• Happy hour You can provide water for butterflies and other visitors without creating a mosquito jamboree. The trick is to fill a shallow saucer, place it in a sunny area and layer in some stones or coarse bark. The butterflies will drink from the cracks, but mosquito larvae won’t have room to set up. Water gardens, birdbaths and catch basins also provide much-needed water. However, if you are installing a birdbath keep it out in the open. The neighbourhood cat (and the birds) all know that a birdbath next to a hedge is only going to work out well for some of the guests. If just a few people on
the same city block create a pollinator-friendly area, beneficial insects and birds will thrive and a migration corridor is created. The US based conservation group ‘Monarch Watch’ is working to create pollinator habitat along the spectacular migration route, and there are currently two Saskatchewan stops recorded. Whether you choose to fully design for pollinators or just decide to leave some grass clippings in a corner of the yard, you can make a difference. For a wealth of plant and design information visit Gentle Earth Design Studios Ltd online at www. gentleearthdesigns.com.
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