At Home Living 060317

Saturday, June 3, 2017 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

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Power of the sun KU students use solar power to create sustainable home page 6 n Benefits of xeriscaping, page 2 n 7 sites chosen for garden tour, page 5 n Learn to bring out purple in plants, page 9

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Xeriscaping helps conserve water

Lower water bills? Less garden maintenance with beautiful results? We need to consider a different method of gardening with little maintenance and designed to work in Diane Green harmony with nature, not against it.

“Xeriscaping” (pronounced zer-i-skaping), a word originated by the Denver Water Department in 1978 to describe landscaping with water conservation as a major objective, is derived from the Greek word “xeros” (meaning “dry”) and “landscaping.” It is not “zero-scaping,” which

means no plants.

This kind of landscaping is relatively new to Kansas, but the concept is not.

With efforts to live green with greater sensitivity to water consumption, dry landscaping strategies are in demand everywhere.

The good news is that xeriscape landscaping doesn’t have to look like a Southwestern desert.

If this sounds good, a savings in water, labor, equipment and materials will be the reward. The water-conserving landscape design involves using hardy, adapted plants, according to soil, slope and available rainfall.

These hardy plants include, but aren’t limited to, native plant species that

grow naturally in Kansas.

Seven principles are required to create a xeriscape garden: planning and design, soil preparation, mulching, maintenance, selecting lowerdemanding plants, limited turf areas and efficient irrigation.

Planning and design

Planning should consider factors that affect water use. Steep slopes cause water runoff and erosion, but droughttolerant ground covers and plantings slow down and absorb water.

Group plants according to water use and mature

plant sizes. Designing on paper might be helpful.

Soil preparation

Improving the soil helps conserve water due to healthier root systems, which create a more drought-tolerant landscape.

Adding organic matter is the most important soil improvement affecting water use.

It’s a good idea to start with a soil test, which is available through county Extension offices, to establish existing acidity or alkalinity, as well as fertility levels.

Adding organic material should be done before planting, with 2 to 3 inches of organic material worked into the top 8 inches of the

area.

Applied yearly, an organic mulch also works well in an established landscape.

Mulching

Mulching conserves water, improves the soil, suppresses weeds and is aesthetically pleasing. Examples of mulches include wood chips, straw, leaves, compost, manures, grass clippings, etc. The most effective depth for these mulches is 3 to 4 inches, applied every one to three years.

Maintenance

While xeric landscapes can be low-maintenance, they will still require proper pruning, mowing, weeding,

fertilizing, insect/disease control and watering, if necessary. This maintenance will keep the landscape healthy, productive and in beautiful condition for many years.

Lower-demanding plants

Xeriscaping requires planting the right plant in the right place, based on drought resistance. Ideal perennial plants have a moderate growth rate, few pest problems and produce no messy fruits, etc.

Group plants with similar water needs together. Remember, all plants require additional moisture to get GREEN continues on 4

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Showerheads that play music?

By Ed Del Grande Tribune News Service

Q: Hi, Ed: We are building a new home this year and want the plumbing to be state-ofthe-art, but we also want to save water. Do you have any ideas on new plumbing fixtures available that can help us conserve water, while having a little fun?

— Peter, Texas A: Installing high-efficiency plumbing fixtures is a smart idea in more ways than one.

First, many of today’s

quality plumbing fixtures have been redesigned to increase water flow performance while cutting down on water use.

Also, the addition of electronic controls has created a new line of smart, watersaving plumbing fixtures.

Before we get into some of the available fixtures to choose from, keep in mind that these new electronic fixtures usually require battery or electrical outlet power. So, discuss your choices with your electrician before you start the

job.

Three of my favorite types of water-saving fixtures are smart toilets that use highly efficient electronic flushing systems, touchless kitchen faucets and showerheads that also can play your favorite music. The showerhead features a wireless removable speaker that pairs up with your mobile music device.

Additional speakers can be purchased, allowing everyone in the family to tune in to this fun water-saving showerhead idea.

Tip of the week: Grout routing

n Cleaning grime from grout doesn’t have to be a hard job. Try this: n Mix 3/4 cup household chlorine bleach with 1 gallon water. Wearing rubber gloves and eye protection, use a stiff brush to apply to one small area at a time. Let it sit for several minutes, then scrub and rinse. Repeat on the next space area. n To prevent dingy shower grout in the future, run a squeegee on the tile after you’re done bathing. Lingering moisture can lead to mildew stains.

Source: Heloise via goodhousekeeping.com

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Green: Weeds are major problem in establishing native grass lawns Continued from 2

established. Drought-tolerant doesn’t mean plant it and forget it. Finally, consider native plants that are already perfectly adapted to thrive.

Limited turfgrass areas Instead of cool-season

turfgrass, such as fescue or Kentucky bluegrass, consider mulches, groundcovers, native grasses, shrub beds, patios or decks instead.

Also, consider warm-season turfgrasses, such as buffalo grass, which requires little or no irrigation.

However, be aware that weeds are the major problem in establishing a native

grass lawn.

Efficient irrigation

Even xeric plants will need some water to develop the deep root systems they need to become strong.

Collect or redirect water from downspouts to areas of the landscape where needed. Select and combine

different watering systems, such as drip or soaker hoses at ground level. A better option might be harvesting rainwater by collecting it in barrels or underground tanks.

Do you want to look at a xeriscape garden before starting your own landscaping project? The Shawnee County Extension Office,

1740 S.W. Western Ave., has a xeriscape garden west of its main entrance that demonstrates these seven principles. Visit the garden and appreciate that a waterconserving landscape can be as beautiful as a waterwasting one.

Diane Green is a Shawnee County Master Gardener.

diane green

The xeriscape garden at the Shawnee County Extension Office features a variety of hardy plants. Xeriscaping helps conserve water and requires less maintenance.

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Manhattan tour features seven gardens Sites show off water features, variety of plants The Capital-Journal Seven gardens will be in the spotlight during the 29th Annual Garden Tour in Manhattan.

The tour, from 1 to 5 p.m. June 11, is co-sponsored by the Riley County Extension Master Gardeners and K-State Research and Extension. Proceeds will benefit the Kansas State University Gardens internship program.

Advance tickets, which are $8, can be purchased in Manhattan at the Riley County Extension Office, 110 Courthouse Plaza; Riley County Courthouse Annex, 426 Poyntz Ave.; Horticultural Services Garden Center, 8450 E. US-24 highway; Blueville Nursery Inc., 4539 Anderson Ave.; Eastside Market, 219 E. Poyntz Ave.; and Westside Market, 521 Richards Drive.

Tickets on the day of the tour are $10 and can be purchased at any of the tour sites.

The garden sites are: n Max and Lynn Urick, 3110 Chick Circle.

The Uricks’ site tells the story of a garden transitioning from shade to sun because a tornado in 2008 destroyed more than 20 of its mature trees. The sun garden is home to a water feature made from the yard’s unearthed limestone. n Preston and Jean Klick, 149 N. Dartmouth Drive.

A hillside water feature creates a resort-like feeling for the Klicks’ sloped garden. Half of the hillside, trees and landscaping were destroyed by the 2008 tornado. A variety of plants and flowers are in the sun garden, and trails wind through the

wooded areas. n Mark and Judy Robb, 9048 Tonya Terrace.

The Robbs’ garden features a variety of trees and walkways.

The couple started with a bare, weed-covered yard that drained poorly and developed it into a landscape that flows and provides drainage. n Gary and Juli Griffith, 4106 Taneil Drive.

The Griffiths turned a flat space into a wonder of berms.

The Oklahoma sandstone on a small berm is uniquely eroded by water. Annual and perennials grace the garden, adding splashes of color and texture. The site also includes a pergola and water feature. n Joe Hodson and Barbara Lutjemeir, 5608 High Meadow Circle.

A hidden, secret garden overlooking a lake offers spectacular views at the Hodson-Lutjemeir garden. Stunning plantings and a water feature greets visitors at the entrance of the property, with a path leading to gardens and other water features. n Coleen Brown and Carla Trecek, 5515 High Meadow Drive.

The identical twins’ goal for their garden was to reclaim the prairie grasses and provide native plants that support bees and butterflies. Trails wind through the prairie-like setting, which has with many varieties of plants, shrubs and trees. n Kansas State University Gardens, 1500 Denison Ave. The K-State Gardens includes native plants, butterfly garden, rose garden, cottage garden, and iris, daylily and peony garden.

Fountains and hundreds of other plants, trees and shrubs can be found at the site.

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Gary and Julie Griffith’s garden, which features a waterfall, will be among those featured during the 29th Annual Garden Tour in Manhattan. Seven gardens will be open for viewing from 1 to 5 p.m. on June 11.

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solar power

KU students design, build passive house The glass-enclosed space at the southwest corner of the house, just off the kitchen, can be used as a dining room, solarium or reading room.

1,300-square-foot home priced at $250K

By Jan Biles

jan.biles@cjonline.com

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University of Kansas students participating in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning’s Studio 804 design-build program constructed a passive solar house on the east side of Lawrence. The home’s steel exterior is reminiscent of the Lustron houses developed in the United States after World War II in response to the shortage of housing for veterans.

LAWRENCE — Abi Davis knew she wanted to be an architect at an early age. It was a field in which she could combine her love of math, science and art. She already had her sights set on studying at the University of Kansas, but once she was on campus, she learned about Studio 804, a hands-on approached to learning architectural skills.

Davis was among the 10 graduate students who designed and recently finished building a 1,300-square-foot passive solar house in East Lawrence as part of KU’s Department of Architecture’s

Studio 804 program. The students worked under the supervision of Dan Rockhill, a KU architecture professor who directs the program.

Davis, who earned a master’s degree in architecture in mid-May and whose specialty is architectural acoustics, said she learned to hang drywall and build steel screens and gained confidence in her physical ability to do other tasks. She and the other students also had to learn to communicate with each other, blend their ideas and come to a consensus.

“I saw things larger than life go up in front of my eyes,” said HOUSE continues on 7

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House: ‘We have an obligation to the world to (move toward) sustainability’ Continued from 6

Davis, who will begin working this month as a consultant in Santa Monica, Calif. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Construction started in August and was completed in early May. The house maintains Studio 804’s high level of sustainable design, while remaining contextually sensitive to the neighborhood.

“This is all sustainable,” Rockhill said at a recent viewing of the passive solar house.

“We have an obligation to the world to (move toward) sustainability.”

The Studio 804 structure’s steel exterior is reminiscent of the steel Lustron houses developed in the United States after World War II in response to the lack of housing for returning veterans. The insulated metal panels used to build the house were left over from the construction of the tennis center at Rock Chalk Park, on the west edge of Lawrence.

The house uses passive strategies for lighting and sun shading. The bedrooms, kitchen and living room are arranged along the south wall to take advan-

STUDIO 804

Studio 804 Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation devoted to the research and development of sustainable, affordable and inventive building solutions.

The University of Kansas’ Department of Architecture offers the program to graduate students entering the final year of their master’s degree program, transfer students and professionals.

All aspects of the design and construction — securing construction documents and estimates, working with zoning and code officials, site layout, placing concrete, framing, roofing, siding, setting solar panels and landscaping — are done by the students over the 9-month academic year.

Studio 804 produces one project per year and to date has completed 10 LEED Platinum projects and three Passive House-certified projects. Studio 804 is the only firm in Kansas to have completed 10 LEED Platinum structures.

For information about the program, visit studio804.com. tage of natural lighting. A steel screening system on the south and west sides of the home enhances natural lighting.

The home’s open plan creates flex-spaces that can be reconfigured based on the owner’s needs. For example, the glass-

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The living room, with its abundance of natural light, is connected to the outdoor patio. The living room features recessed lighting and polished concrete floors. enclosed area at the southwest corner of the house, which adjoins the kitchen, can be used as a dining room, solarium or reading room.

“The kitchen is the only permanent thing in the house,” said John Coughlin, a Studio 804 participant who earned his master’s degree in architecture in mid-May. Other features include 9-foothigh ceilings, imported WaterSense-rated plumbing and Energy Star-compliant, Italian-

made kitchen appliances. The kitchen’s red-oak European cabinets are topped with coldrolled steel countertops. The floors are polished concrete, and the recessed lighting fixtures are fitted LEDs. A hanging pendant in the dining room is an original Louis Paulsen fixture, crafted in Denmark and purchased for reuse in the project.

Because there is no attic or basement, Coughlin said, storage areas are built into the north

side of the home’s hallway.

Insulation includes both rigid and blown-in cellulose that exceeds U.S. Green Building Council LEED-rating standards, which allows the house to have all-electric climate control, appliances and lighting. A net-metered photovoltaic solar array, consisting of 16 panels, is capable of providing 4.8 kilowatt-hours of power.

The price of the passive solar house, which sits on a 40-by132-foot lot at 1330 Brook St., is $249,000. The adjacent lot north of the house can be purchased for $30,000. The additional lot could be used for a garage, studio, garden, orchard or another structure.

“That’s a bargain price,” Rockhill said. “If sold on the market, it would be twice that.”

The house, which is close to downtown Lawrence and is handicap-accessible, may be particularly attractive to those who are downsizing, he said.

If the adjacent lot isn’t sold, Rockhill said, the Studio 804 program may build a sustainable structure there next year.

Contact niche editor Jan Biles at (785) 295-1292.

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Purple plants add garden dynamism

By Maureen Gilmer Tribune News Service

The color purple has evolved well beyond links to Barney the dinosaur to become a favorite color for politics, hair and flowers.

It’s little understood as a hue because royal purple isn’t the only shade offered.

In fact, purple has two faces. It runs hot and cold. It is the high-frequency child of two primary colors.

Purple is the result of combining hot fire red and cool ocean blue. When the two primaries merge to form purple, there is a range of hues divided by the emphasis on one or the other primary color.

The red-dominant purples will be warm and vibrant, seen as more energetic to the human eye. The blue-purples are subdued, cooler and seen as peaceful and contemplative.

If you become aware of the two temperatures, it will provide you a far more powerful grasp of color in garden design. It also will help you train your eye to recognize these subtle differences.

While lavenders and magenta is common in nature, true purples are not. Nature uses purple sparingly, almost as an afterthought. If used carefully in precise locations relative to other colors, you

maureen gilmer/tribune news service

While lavenders and magenta is common in nature, true purples are not. If used carefully in precise locations relative to other colors, you can create dynamic results with purple-toned plants. can create dynamic results.

Above all, you want to strive for harmony in your flower color palettes.

Those combinations that aren’t harmonious will affect you in two ways. First, the colors may be so understated as to be dull or even boring. On the other hand, colors without consideration of one another will appear chaotic.

The color wheel is vital to understanding the harmonious use of purple in the garden. Directly across the wheel from purples is lime green and yellow. These

are complementary colors that when paired with the purples create a dynamic contrast that brings out the best qualities of both hues.

Red-purple is the complement of yellow-green or lime green. Blue-purple’s complement is canary yellow.

If you were to put purple flowers in a field of green foliage, the purples would be gobbled up by the greens, a primary color. But when you use these purples with their complements to create three hues in a palette of green, yellow and purple, there is a harmonious combination.

You also can explore analogous colors. These are colors that match. You’ll find analogous colors contiguous on the color wheel. For example, red, orange and yellow are analogous.

When using purples, your analogous hues will be different for each one. The analogous range for red-purple would be red and orange. This gives you a hot-colored palette for flowers that work with that type of purple.

When using a blue-purple, the analogs would be blue and turquoise or green.

This is the start of a cool-colored palette bouncing off that blue-based purple.

With a new knowledge of the two purples and how they relate to other colors, you will have the basis for a great

garden this year. It tells you how to choose plants by color, and it dictates you choose those that bloom at the same time to achieve the desired results. A plant that blooms purple in May won’t benefit from a complementary yellow daisy that flowers in August.

Getting bloom time, color and size just right is the formula for picture-perfect color garden design.

Maureen Gilmer is an author, horticulturist and landscape designer. Learn more at MoPlants.com.

Contact her at mogilmer@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 891, Morongo Valley, Calif. 92256.

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