EXTERIORS Pergolas

↖ A white, unadorned pergola helps define an outdoor dining area and adjoins a fire pit.

EXTERIORS PACIFYING PERGOLAS

Open-air structures admit breezes, invite relaxation

Outdoor living spaces can be many things: a patio, a deck, a covered porch (screened or not) or a pavilion. A pergola, however, can transform your outdoor space into an oasis like no other.

What exactly is a pergola? At its most basic, it is a free-standing, opensided structure with a top of parallel cross beams. But there are a lot of variations on that theme.

For example, a structure attached to a house or outbuilding on the property is a sort of pergola, even though only three sides are open.

A seating area framed by four beams and covered with a shade cloth instead of parallel beams on top is generally considered a “hybrid pergola.” Some people consider a shade sail, a triangular-shaped cloth suspended by three hooks high above the seating area, as a form of pergola — although purists would scoff at that idea.

So what exactly are the advantages of a pergola over other types of landscape shade structures? It depends on what you want.

Compared to a gazebo or pavilion — which are fully roofed, standalone structures in the landscape — a pergola’s “open weave” roof offers more access to breezes. Coastal areas get far more breezes than inland areas such as Tallahassee, so capturing every bit of breeze that’s out there is a blessing in the Capital City during our North Florida summers. It’s pretty nice at the coast, too.

If a space that offers protection from the sun and rain is your goal, a gazebo, a pavilion or a covered porch might be a better option.

However, if just reducing the amount of sunlight is your goal, while keeping as much air movement as possible, a pergola could be the answer. The parallel beams across the top don’t fully block the sun, but they block enough to reduce the heat to

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↑ Pergolas are like a playground apparatus for climbing plants, including flowering vines and edibles such as grapes and kiwi fruit.

the seating area below. Given the additional airflow, it’s a trade-off.

While the physical attributes of a pergola are many, the mental and emotional benefits can be even greater.

“A pergola helps create a quiet space, an intimate space,” said Ralph Esposito, whose company builds outdoor living spaces as well as operating a garden center. “We build a lot of pergolas on top of wide-open, concrete patios in the backyard, and once they’re built, your whole focus changes.”

Pergolas also offer a place for plants to climb the vertical supports. Whether flowering vines, such as honeysuckle and Confederate jasmine, or edibles, such as grapes and kiwis, climbing plants help create a sense of enclosure and privacy.

Some pergolas attract lots of stuff. They are for their owners like empty closets that demand utilization. So it is that those climbing plants may be joined by plants potted and hanging and by outdoor furniture, a gas grill, a dartboard, a mini-fridge, a big sticky black ball that attracts yellow flies and one of those mesh enclosures with butterfly pupae inside.

Others may be bereft of trappings and activity, like treehouses after the children fledge.

A pergola that lies between those extremes can be a place that “pleasantly slows the world down a little bit,” Esposito said.

Given the lockdowns and social distancing necessary over the past few months because of the coronavirus, some might wonder whether the world has slowed a little too much. But it has been a slowing of an unrelaxed sort. Mental health experts find that the world’s problems are weighing on us more heavily now than ever. Our isolation offers scant distraction from them.

Perhaps a lounge chair beneath a pergola, with a soothing wind chime pealing comforting tones, can provide an antidote. TM

How to Grow Fresh Vegetables in Your Broom Closet

Mike Hagerud, the manager most recently, those taking an interest so this opens the door for people who of Esposito’s hydroponics in self-sustainability during times of wouldn’t have had the space to grow department, has been uncertainty. their own food otherwise. As time goes studying hydroponics Mike is excited to see the hobby on, the technology continues to improve and indoor gardening for more than growing and changing in new and dramatically, making hydroponics more 20 years. When he started at Esposito innovative ways: “I expect it will continue efficient and affordable every year.” in 2005, indoor gardening was still a to become more popular in the future. If you have tried gardening in Florida, fringe method that was used primarily Land and resources are becoming scarce, you know all about the woes the by doomsday preppers and commercial and hydroponics is a great solution. If outdoor gardener encounters: hellish operations. Today, the hydroponic you do it right, you are recycling water heat, irregular moisture, horrible soil, gardening crowd is a lot more diverse, and fertilizer, reusing your resources weeds galore, biting insects, fruit-eating including retirees, people with an and leaving a much smaller footprint. worms and a fair share of hungry deer. apartment and no yard, foodies and, There’s no need for a large plot of land, Many enjoy the challenge, but for those

looking for the easy way, hydroponic gardening is the holy grail. You get to garden indoors, in 72 degree airconditioned bliss. There are no bugs to contend with, no weeds to pull and certainly no roaming deer trampling your veggie patch. It might sound too good to be true, but at Esposito’s we assure you there is no catch. Simply plug in your system, measure your nutrients and watch your garden grow.

So, where to start? The best option for beginners looking to get their feet wet is known as a bubble bucket. Because it takes up less than 1 square foot of floor space, the bubble bucket is perfect for just about any living situation — and it’s cheap. The entire setup costs about $40 and may be reused. Start simple with a single tomato, pepper plant or herb. Once you get a little more comfortable with the process, you can also use the bubble bucket to root your own cuttings and propagate your own houseplants or perennials, essentially, allowing you to create free plants using a single sprig. It’s an investment that will pay for itself a hundred times over.

As far as lighting is concerned, Mike has the solution — the requirements are the same as outdoors. After reading your plant label to determine proper conditions, you can either place your hydroponic setup near a bright window, in a location outdoors that receives the proper amount of light or use artificial lighting to create your own. Artificial lighting allows you to grow virtually any plant in ideal conditions; providing the perfect amount of daylight is as simple as setting a timer. As you delve deeper into the science of horticulture, you’ll learn all sorts of tricks, like how to tell your plant it’s time to bloom by adjusting the lighting or nutrient levels (or you can always ask for assistance).

When your plants are receiving everything they need, exactly when they need it — with no pests eating away at new growth — everything grows much faster than it does outdoors. Because most hydroponic systems are table height, planting, harvesting, and caring for your plants is more accessible and comfortable than in-ground gardening. Hydroponics makes gardening far less exhausting for those with limited energy, time or mobility. Simply plug it in, pour your nutrients and — in no time — harvest the fruits of your notso-hard work.

If you have any further questions about hydroponics or would like Mike to help you design the perfect system for your home, stop by Esposito. We have the most extensive selection of supplies within 200 miles, and Mike is one of the most knowledgeable people you’ll find when it comes to hydroponics.

Esposito Lawn & Garden Center 2743 Capital Circle NE, Tallahassee (850) 386-2114 EspositoGardenCenter.com

In a world where you can buy at the click of a button, some products are best experienced through tangible touch and are sights to behold. Home appliances and furnishings fall within this category.

Fortunately, Mays-Munroe, Inc., the only independent appliance dealer in Tallahassee, realizes the importance of providing customers with a place where they can see, touch and experience before purchasing. The state-of-the-art showroom displays an impressive selection of top-quality appliances, and the on-site service department is equipped should a product need some attention and care.

If you have an appliance in mind or are simply browsing, the knowledgeable sales department is present to help locate products that best suit your lifestyle wants and needs, whether it’s refrigerators, ovens, cooktops, ranges, washers, dryers, mattresses or home furnishings. You can schedule delivery, installation and payments all in one visit. For building and remodeling projects, appointments are advised to ensure time and resources are allocated to cater to you.

Gray Scale: Stainless steel and gray hues are here to stay, as seen in these two kitchens featuring Thermador Pro Grand appliances. Double ovens, modular refrigerated columns, centerpiece islands and spacious ranges are ideal for families and entertaining.

Optical Illusions: Kitchens are offering more than meets the eye: Thermador fridges behind or built into custom cabinetry, decorative hoods and more. This allows you the finest appliances while maintaining a cohesive look.

“Our biggest compliment is always when someone says that shopping with us was easier than they thought it would be,” said Mike Munroe, sales manager of Mays-Munroe. “We understand that online shopping can lead to analysis paralysis, so we are here to listen, answer your questions and find the product that is truly correct for you.”

The company’s mission of providing the best service on quality products for affordable prices has served the company well for many years. The company began in 1936 under Hugh Mays. Upon Mays’ passing in 1973, Ray and Peggy Munroe bought the business in 1974. The 2nd generation consists of Mike (wife Ellen), brother Mark and sister, Meghan Lisson.

The company is now managed by the second generation, Mike Munroe and his family alongside several third generation members, including his nephew, niece and his daughter’s fiancé, all working in the showroom. With 10 family members employed by the company, they are the very essence of family-owned and operated.

“We have always been blessed by the support of the Tallahassee community,” said Munroe.

Though Munroe credits the community for their many years of success, Mays-Munroe also greatly contributes to the community.

The annual Have a Heart celebration fundraiser benefiting Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s Heart and Vascular Center was established in honor of Mike’s brother, Ray Munroe Jr. In six years, $180,000 has been designated to the Ray B. Munroe Jr., PhD Endowment in an effort to purchase a cardiovascular ultrasound machine.

Home is where the heart is, and the heart is the center of the community. Mays-Munroe honors this by providing a service-oriented nature both inside our homes and out in our community.