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Saturday, October 24, 2015 An Advertising Feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

Jamie (Hancock) Kidd Garden Column – 2 Child Care Aware seeks home for 2016 Designers’ Showhouse – 5 Living in a home that is artistic, eclectic and fun – 8

2 | Saturday, October 24, 2015 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | At Home

Tree planting in fall Jamie (Hancock) Kidd

The two best times to plant trees are before trees break dormancy in the spring and when leaves begin to change color in the fall. “This is when the maximum root growth occurs, but with proper care,” says Jason Griffin K-State horticulturist, “planting can occur anytime the ground is not frozen”.

Select trees that “fit” the spot you wish jamiehan@ksu.edu to plant them in. They can not be so tall at maturity that they interfere with power Awe, autumn, crisp air, beautiful sunlines or so close to the house that they will sets, mums in bloom, a time to enjoy the eventually take off the overhang. The tree garden in an unhurried way. We don’t have may look really small and “out-there” when to race to plant or weed or clean or prune first planted but, remember, they grow up! or move piles from here to there. OverseedShade and Ornamental Trees for Kansas ing lawns should be completed by now. So, (MF-2688) a publication from K-State, “now what”, you ask? I’m glad you asked. available online at www.ksre.ksu.edu, can You know I have the answer. It’s tree planthelp you select the right tree. ing time.

Planting Trees tend to be the most expensive adThe planting hole should be dug two dition to the landscape, but are extremely to three times wider than the rootball or necessary to increase you property and rethe container. Depth of the hole should be sale value. Add a new tree to your yard, reequal to the height of the root ball from the place trees that have died, are damaged, or first set of lateral roots (root flare) to the are diseased. A certified arborist can help bottom of the ball. Soil may need to be reyou identify and remove ailing or hazardmoved from the top of the rootball to find ous trees.

the root flare. The root flare should always show after planting. Never plant a tree so the top of the rootball is below the surrounding soil grade.

It is NOT recommended to amend the backfill soil with peat moss, compost or other materials. For long-term survival, trees need to push their roots into the surrounding soil. If the soil in the hole is rich and easily navigated the tree will grow an extensive root system that remains in the hole. This makes for a weak tree that will fall over in a wind storm, and/or have roots growing in circles that will girdle the tree cutting off circulation and can eventually kill it.

Situate the tree in the hole and remove as much of the burlap and strings as possible. Remove wire baskets. They can cut through roots as the tree ages.

Container grown trees are fine to use.

They are usually lighter, smaller and more readily available. Remove the entire container. Use a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 cuts from top to bottom about 2 inches deep around the rootball. It will not hurt a well

KIDD continues on 4A

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Kidd: Proper watering ensures success Continued from 2A grown tree, but it will prevent future girdling roots, and new roots will arise from the cuts.

Griffin recommends when backfilling the hole, break up the clods that create large air pockets. Once the hole is half full, water to settle soil around the rootball. Continue back filling the hole being mindful not to place soil on top of the rootball. Use excess soil to create a raised watering ring (3 to 4 inches) at the outer edges of the rootball.

Avoid tamping or stomping backfill. Allow water to settle the soil in place.

Consider your tree as a new transplant

one year for each inch of trunk diameter.

A 2-inch caliper tree should be treated as a new transplant for 2 growing seasons, a 4-inch for four seasons, and so on.

Watering Proper watering throughout the first year often means the difference between success and failure. Infrequent yet thorough watering is the best. Consider your soil type for watering durations. Determine if it’s time to water by pushing a screwdriver into the soil. If it goes in easily the soil is moist. If it is difficult to penetrate the soil it’s time to water. Continue to water until the soil freezes. During dry winter periods, water evergreens if the ground is not

frozen. Continue watering as long as your for the first year or two. tree is considered a new transplant.

Jamie (Hancock) Kidd is a horticulturist with Kansas Pruning New trees need little if any pruning. The State Research and Extension in Shawnee County. tree has suffered enough root loss. The Note: Hello My Friends, I would like to let you know leaves provide necessary food to produce that I have recently married and have changed my new roots. Once the tree is no longer conname from Hancock to Kidd. No kidding! I get to be a sidered a new transplant, structural prunKidd the rest of my life! Stop kidding around. Okay, all ing can begin. kidding aside.... I hope you will continue to read my Fertilizing column and call me with your gardening questions. It New trees should not be fertilized in the is a pleasure to serve you. Jamie Kidd first year unless the soil is very poor.

Staking Avoid staking unless necessary. Trees grow stronger when they sway with the wind. Larger trees may need some staking

At Home | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, October 24, 2015 | 5

Child Care Aware seeks home for 2016 Designers’ Showhouse

By Shanna Sloyer Special to The Capital-Journal

The search is underway for the 2016 Designers’ Showhouse home. In its 36th year, the Designers’ Showhouse is a grass roots fundraiser that pairs area interior designers and local craftsmen to transform a selected home for public tour each spring. Proceeds from the event benefit Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas, formerly known as ERC Resource & Referral.

“This is a great opportunity for someone whose home could use an extreme home makeover,” said CCA Executive Director Reva Wywadis. “We know the perfect home is out there. We just have to find it.”

The ideal home typically offers 3,000 to 5,000 square feet of living space with multiple design areas. The floor plan of the selected home must also be able to accommodate the number of visitors who will tour the home for the event. Curb appeal, and the homeowners’ goals for the makeover are taken into consideration before a selection is made as well.

While the designers donate all of their time and talent, the homeowner is required to make a significant financial investment to the project for design and renovation expenses. The benefit to the homeowner is that the home is completely renovated in a short amount of time. Additionally, many area businesses see the show house as an opportunity to market new products or services to the public, so labor and materials are often donated or discounted, stretching the budget

and resulting in significant savings.

“The talent and generosity of so many individuals and businesses involved with the project each year never ceases to amaze me,” said Wywadis.

Once a home is selected, and the homeowner agrees on a budget for each room, the designers are invited to an open house where they select a room or area they are interested in designing. Each designer presents the homeowner with a design board that outlines their design concept, and how they plan to spend their allotted budget.

The Showhouse liaison coordinates communication between the designers and the homeowner on timelines and helps to ensure cohesiveness in design concepts. Ultimately, the homeowner has input in approving all design plans.

Renovation generally begins mid-to-late January when the homeowners move out of the house. Once the project is complete, the house is open to the public mid-April to midMay, and then the homeowners are able to move back into their renovated home once the tour comes to an end.

“Our goal is always that we have a happy homeowner, happy designers, and a home that people in the community want to come out and see,” said Wywadis. “Every Showhouse I’ve been involved with has exceeded my expectations.”

Proceeds from the Designers’ Showhouse provide financial support to help Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas fulfill its mission of supporting the development and learning

of young children by offering programs and services that improve the quality and accessibility of child care for working families. The agency helps parents locate and choose child care to meet their child’s needs and provides information to families about quality indicators and the importance of early learning experiences. They also work with child care providers and programs, offering training, on-site coaching programs, technical assistance, and access to teacher resources.

“We know that what happens in a child’s early years significantly impacts learning throughout life,” said Wywadis. “Supporting working families with high-quality child care options is critically important to our local communities.”

For more information about the project, or if you would like your home to be considered for the 2016 Designers’ Showhouse, contact Reva Wywadis at (785) 440-4507. Wywadis hopes to have a Showhouse chosen and plans finalized by Thanksgiving.

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REX WOLF/SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

6 | Saturday, October 24, 2015 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | At Home

Living in a home that is artistic, eclectic and fun

By Dianne Lawson Special to The Capital-Journal

Ron and Linda Lessman built their house using unconventional materials with their own sense of artistic style. The two-story home is a large Quonset hut sprayed outside with polyurethane foam insulation and then painted. “Eighteen different colors, so far, all blended together,” Ron said.

“It has six different elevations, 8,000 foot

of wiring, 27 outlets in the kitchen alone— you never know when you might need an outlet—an elevator and a bridge.”

The Lessman home is divided into two sections: his and hers. His section, which includes the entire first floor and some of the second, is devoted to what he loves, his art and his collections. Her section is devoted to what she loves, order and lots of room for company. Each of them allows the other to have free rein in their section

Brian Miller/Special to The Capital-Journal

Left: Ron’s painting of baby about to be welcomed by doctor. Above: Ron Lessman by beer-bottle wall which greets visitors. Below right: Plaque designating Truckhenge a Kaw Region Art Park. of the home.

“Some people think I’m an artist,” Ron said. “I just play with this stuff. I’ve got no expectations; I don’t need a grade; I do what I want.” He doesn’t care if he makes mistakes and said, “If you learn something, it’s not a screw up.” Ron has painted the concrete pavement on the first floor of the house in brightly colored designs. He also has large canvas paintings hanging with spring clamps from bar joists. Ron said that because he doesn’t have an art education, he doesn’t know the rules he is supposed to be following, so he doesn’t have to follow them. He paints from his

own perspective, which one time was the perspective of a baby about to be born.

“What is the first thing a baby sees after it is born?” Ron asked. “The doctor,” he answered. And then pointed to his painting of a baby seeing a doctor waiting with outstretched arms for it to be born.

Ron stuck beer bottles and other bottles in a concrete wall, making a stained-glass window effect. He calls this his “beer-bottle wall.” One of the designs is the smile of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland

LESSMAN ART continues on 7A

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Lessman Art: Building an elevator to the second floor Continued from 6A Needing an elevator to the second floor, Ron checked out the cost to put a conventional elevator into the house. Finding the cost prohibitive, he used fork lift parts to build an elevator.

On the second floor on his part of the house, Ron propped up a mirror directly on the floor. “Here’s where you watch your feet,” he said.

On a low table by a window, Ron put rocks, bones and arrowheads that he found on his property. One of his favorites is a small stone that has right angles. He likes it because “You don’t usually find right angles in nature,” he said. He also likes a rock that looks like a piece of steak. “This is the first steak my wife cooked for me,” he joked.

The ceiling glitters. Ron shot blue chalk dust in dry wall mud onto the ceiling. He then bought sparkles from a hobby store and threw them up with his hands to stick to the ceiling.

Entering the wife’s part of their home, Ron said, “This is where the boss takes over.” Linda’s part of the house is organized with all of the room having large open spaces. “We enjoy living here and we enjoy people coming by,” Linda said. Her spacious kitchen has lots of room to move around in and new kitchen cabinets. “We splurged on the cabinets,” Linda said, “and bought new.”

Somewhere around 1,000 wicker baskets hang from the ceiling to muffle the echoes within the large area. Some of the baskets have stuffed cartoon characters in them. “I like surprises,” Linda said. Pointing to several of the baskets that look like ducks, she said, “I have all my ducks in a row.”

Through the outside door of the living room is a long, open-air walkway that ends in a spiral staircase to the ground. “This is the Bridge to Nowhere,” Ron said. The staircase is held up by a concrete mixer.

Talking about his house, Ron said, “We just did what we wanted to do. We try to have fun here.”

The Lessmans are known more for their property than they are for their house as they live on Truckhenge Farm and Art Park, commonly known as Truckhenge. Truckhenge is mostly known for the trucks that are sticking up from the ground like the stones at Stonehenge in England, although it also has a Boathenge, beer bottle city, 30-acre fishing lake and chainsaw-carved sculptures. All of the property, including their home is artistic, eclectic and fun.

Brian Miller/Special to The Capital-Journal

Left: Bridge to Nowhere. Above Right: Baskets hung on ceiling to muffle sound.

Below right: Multiple-colored roof.

Correction: In the October 17 issue of At Home Living – Trish Williams was the photographer for Surrounded by treasured objects

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