Roanoke Valley Home Magazine 2020 Summer

HOME RO OA AN NO OK K E VVA ALLLL EE Y Y R

design ✦ improve ✦ garden ✦ live

twist SUMMER WITH A

TIME TO CHILL

cookout menus sports courts PLANT HAPPY peppers & zinnias eco-gardening

FRESH TRENDS backsplash options flexible spaces

SUMMER 2020

Photo courtesy of Phillip Barrett ,Jr.

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CONTENTS Roanoke Valley HOME Summer 2020

48 57 18 features

showcase home

HOOP DREAMS Pump up the fun with at-home sports courts

HISTORIC HILLTOP HAVEN Prospect Hill in Fincastle blends history with modern updates

18

BY CHRISTY RIPPEL

34

BY NOELLE MILAM

48

PICK A PEPPER Learn about peppers for every taste

BY SLOANE LUCAS

57

FLEXIBLE SPACES Tips for creating a versatile home environment

BY RORY RHODES

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S U M M E R 2020

27

DESIGN

24 BACKSPLASH DESIGN

Options to make a splash

BY KENDALL ATKINS LIVICK

44 LIGHTING 101

Specs to help illuminate your space

BY PAULA PETERS CHAMBERS

60 DAYBED DREAMS

Versatile, chic pieces for any space

BY KATE ERICSSON

IMPROVE

31 BUILD SMART INSTITUTE

Teaching trades to future generations

BY CAROL J. ALEXANDER

24

GARDEN

14 ECO-FRIENDLY GARDENS

Best practices benefit the earth and your yard

31

BY BECKY CALVERT

64 FLOWER POWER

Zinnias are stars of summer bouquets

BY KATHERINE FULGHUM KNOPF

LIVE

27 SUMMER SIDES

Delicious dishes for your next cookout

BY MARSHA GALE

53 DORM DECOR

Bring comforts of home to college

BY MITZI BIBLE

53

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LOCAL editor’s note As I write this, we are still in the throes of this pandemic that has touched all of our lives in one way or another. The immediate effects of exposure and the long-term effects the Great Pause will have—on not only our health and welfare—but also on our economy and personal bottom line resonate. As we continue to social distance and take the necessary precautions to gradually enter into the new normal, please know that although we are apart, you are not alone.

HOME Magazine continues to support and promote local businesses and offer our readers exceptional and informative information about home design and improvement, gardening and lifestyle. We hope the pages of this June issue are a welcome respite as you continue to stay close to home.

June is the gateway month to the idyllic season of summer! Enjoy reading about the favorite summer flower, the zinnia. Peppers are a summer staple in the garden and easy to love for their health benefits and brilliant colors. Especially timely is June’s article about ecofriendly gardening. And our article about elevated summer side dishes will have you excited for your next family cookout.

Recently, you’ve spent many hours in and around the house. Rethinking areas of your home that could be better utilized? Our feature on flexible spaces can foster ideas on how to make certain rooms in your home more versatile. Backsplashes can be an interesting focal point in the kitchen; find out what’s new in materials and design.

Time, of late, has been on our side. The time to organize, sort and plan has been a rare gift. Now the weather is warming. We can enjoy the fresh air and embrace the change in season. I’m hopeful—as I know you are—that soon we will be trying to decide what to wear to an event (besides a trip to the grocery store) or be thinking about planning a dinner with friends.

Be well, remain hopeful and, as always, thank you for reading.

Anne Marie Poore

HOME ROANOKE VALLEY

VOLUME 13 ISSUE 3 PUBLISHER Julie Pierce EDITOR Meridith Ingram ART DIRECTOR Edwana Coleman LOCAL EDITOR Anne Marie Poore

FEATURE HOME CONTRIBUTOR Noelle Milam CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Carol J. Alexander Mitzi Bible Becky Calvert Paula Peters Chambers Kate Ericsson Marsha Gale Katherine Fulghum Knopf Sloane Lucas Kendall Atkins Livick Noelle Milam Rory Rhodes Christy Rippel PHOTOGRAPHER Kevin Hurley GRAPHIC DESIGNER Donna Collins OPERATIONS MANAGER Marianne Schatvet ADVERTISING SALES Julia Belvin Lisa Bowers Anne Marie Poore SUBSCRIPTIONS

Roanoke Valley HOME is published five times annually

by West Willow Publishing Group, LLC. For an annual subscription, please send $20 and your name, address and telephone number to: Roanoke Valley HOME 2003 Graves Mill Road, Suite B, Forest, VA 24551 For advertising information please call (434) 386-5667 or sales@westwillowpublishing.com. To discuss coverage of an event relating to home or garden, please contact Roanoke Valley HOME at info@westwillowpublishing.com.

WEST WILLOW PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC (434) 386-5667 westwillowpublishing.com Copyright 2020 by West Willow Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from West Willow Publishing Group, LLC. All pictorial material reproduced in this magazine, whether in a produced ad or by itself, has been accepted on the condition that it is with the knowledge and prior consent of the photographer or the artist concerned. As such, West Willow Publishing Group, LLC is not responsible for any infringement of copyright or otherwise arising out of publication thereof.

The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, West Willow Publishing Group, LLC makes no warrant to the accuracy or reliability of this information. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ownership or management.

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GARDEN eco-friendly practices

GREEN GARDENING BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE EARTH AND YOUR YARD B Y B E C K Y C A LV E R T

There are many reasons why making your garden more eco-friendly is a good idea: It reduces your impact on the earth, it helps attract pollinators, it’s better for your garden … but perhaps the best argument is that it’s so easy. Here are a few ways to care for your garden—and the environment—this summer.

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IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, ECO-FRIENDLY GARDENING IS REALLY JUST A RETURN TO HOW OUR GRANDPARENTS GARDENED, RELYING ON NATURAL METHODS THAT WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME. IT’S GENTLER ON THE EARTH, BUT MANY OF THESE METHODS ARE ALSO GENTLER ON OUR POCKETBOOKS AS WELL.

Happy dirt

Happy dirt is home to all sorts of hidden biospheres that make for healthy plants. Synthetic fertilizers require fossil fuels in their production while their runoff has detrimental effects on local bodies of water. Instead of chemical fertilizers that have a bigger environmental footprint, use organic materials as fertilizer such as compost or other organic fertilizers, like compost tea (made from soaking a small amount of compost in water for a few hours) or a natural fertilizer made of fish or seaweed. Compost is easily made with kitchen scraps, leaves, sawdust and other natural materials mixed together in a container and allowed to decompose naturally. There are a wide variety of compost bins available; whether you choose to follow a DIY tutorial on the internet or purchase a ready-made backyard tumbler, it’s easy to get going on your own compost bin. Turn it regularly and keep it watered to help turn these items from waste into a helpful garden additive that is sometimes referred to by gardeners as “black gold.”

Perfectly imperfect lawns

Lawns can be one of the most problematic parts of an eco-friendly yard. To maintain a perfectly lush, green lawn can require fertilizers, pesticides and water. To make your lawn more environmentally friendly, perhaps you can learn to live with a few dandelions and other imperfections. Dandelions are actually a great food source for pollinators in early spring and can be edible for humans as well.

Their greens have a sharp bite to them, similar to arugula, and make a very tasty salad green, or can be cooked into a dish or turned into pesto.

Lawns that have slightly longer grass tend to do better during those hot, dry spells that come in late summer, so raise the blade on your mower up a notch, and consider mowing less frequently.

Your lawn will be happier for it. Instead of raking or blowing leaves in the fall, run the mower over them, mulching them back into the lawn and creating a free fertilizer as they spend the winter breaking down into the soil.

Rain barrels

To help reduce water usage, consider installing a few rain barrels around your property. Some localities offer rebates for installing rain barrels for helping to decrease dependence on area water systems in droughts. Rain barrels connect to downspouts, collecting rainfall as it comes off your roof. The water, while not potable, can be used to water plants and do other chores, like washing your vehicle. If storm runoff is an issue in an area around your home, rain barrels are an effective tool at helping to combat the erosion and other problems that can arise from storm water issues. r vhomemaga zine .com 15

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Smart planting

Planting native plants can also help with reducing your water usage. Native plants are adapted to our growing conditions and once they are established, can thrive with little effort on your part. When planting anything in your yard, take the conditions where the plant will go into consideration. If a plant does better in part shade, don’t plant it in full sun, and vice versa. This will go a long way in creating a happy, lush garden.

Another helpful characteristic of planting native plants in your garden is that they help attract pollinators, including birds, to your yard, creating a thriving eco-system. Birds can help act as pest control, as they will feast on bugs they find, including slugs, grubs and caterpillars that want to make themselves at home in your garden. Avoid using pesticides, as they don’t discriminate in what bugs they take out, often having a detrimental effect on the good insects, like bees and butterflies. There are several natural options to take before reaching for a chemical solution that could have a bigger effect than you anticipate.

To avoid mosquitos, don’t leave standing water around for their larvae to grow. Birds aren’t the only natural pest control you can employ, as attracting the right bugs to your garden via plantings goes a long way in dealing with the bugs you don’t want. Incorporate plants that attract the bugs you want. For example, sunflowers, marigolds and nasturtiums are among the plants that draw ladybugs, a very beneficial bug, to the yard.

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Some gardeners will hand pick bugs off a plant, but for heavier infestations, there are easier options. Natural pesticides can be made with common household items to be sprayed on plants, such as dish soap, oil, and sometimes cayenne pepper, depending on the plant and pest. They may have to be reapplied after a rain, but they can go a long way in battling pests like aphids or squash bugs.

Companion planting is another effective tool in the fight against pests. The basic idea behind companion planting is that plants do well when planted with friends.

For instance, planting basil near tomatoes or dill near your cucumbers helps deter pests that may otherwise consider making a meal out of your tasty vegetable plants.

Weed control

To help with the inevitable weeds, mulch can go a long way toward reducing their number while also helping the ground hold

onto moisture longer. There are a number of options available, from wood chips to shredded leaves, that can help create neat beds.

Some vegetable gardeners use layers of cardboard or newspaper between plants to help keep weeds to a minimum. If you must spray something to help in your battle with weeds, consider a homemade solution instead of reaching for a chemical solution. Vinegar combined with salt or borax and dish soap is known to be an effective weed killer that’s easily made with items found in our homes.

If you think about it, eco-friendly gardening is really just a return to how our grandparents gardened, relying on natural methods that withstand the test of time. It’s gentler on the earth, but many of these methods are also gentler on our pocketbooks as well. And that is something I think we can all agree is always an excellent argument. ✦

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HOOP DREAMS

AT-HOME SPORTS COURTS

BY CHRIST Y RIPPEL

We’re all spending more time at home this year due to social distancing, and you may be pondering new projects, wishing to maximize enjoyment of and recreation at your space. If you’ve ever dreamed of launching foul shots in your driveway, sinking a putt in your backyard or engaging in a lively bocce match with your family, it could be time to invest in an outdoor area that will pay dividends for years to come.

We talked to local experts who’ve installed home sports courts, and they spoke on everything from what you should consider before taking on your project to how to contain the budget. “If you have an area that doesn’t grow grass well, that’s ripe for a sports court,” says Galen Layman of Seven Oaks Landscape & Hardscape in Glade Hill.

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Types of sports courts

“What we’ve learned is that clarifying what you want to be able to do on the court is really important in planning,” says Mark Maslow, owner of Southern Landscape Group in Evington.

Maslow’s company has designed and installed several sports courts for homeowners. “Do you want it for one sport only, or do you want it to be multi-function?” Many of Maslow’s clients are interested in a basketball court, but he encourages them to think through the possibilities, which are endless. Are you interested in pickleball? Four square? Volleyball? Many sports courts are now designed and painted to clients’ specifications at a factory, made of durable plastic tiles that are snapped together on site. Color choices and various lines for different sports, like a basketball three-point line, tennis boundaries and a four square off to the side, are completely customizable. You can have basketball goals on the ends, for example, in addition to removable tennis nets and volleyball nets.

“These courts are designed to be overlaid on a foundation, like concrete,” explains Maslow, who notes that the snap-together tiles have been the go-to hard court surface for the last decade or more, popular for their good drainage and durability. If you don’t want a hard court in your yard, but want other recreation options, sand volleyball courts and putting greens might fit the bill.

Sand volleyball feels right at a lake or riverside home, and for the avid golfer, a putting green is great for working on the game in your backyard. “You can do everything from a simple one-hole green to something more elaborate, with multiple holes and sand traps,” says Maslow. A one-hole green could run approximately $10K, while something more elaborate could run much more.

Another popular single-use court is a bocce ball court, which is a long, narrow rectangular court (at regulation size, 13 by 91 feet). Seven Oaks has installed bocce courts at both private homes and in community common areas, and finds that the game has enjoyed recent popularity. “A community had a croquet space that no one was using, so we turned it into a bocce court and now it’s getting a ton of use,” says Layman. Bocce is similar to bowling, but instead of pins to knock down, you start with a small ball, called a pallina. It is rolled down the court, and the object is to roll larger balls at the pallina, gaining points by coming closest and trying to knock out the opposing player’s position. Bocce ball’s popularity likely stems from the ability to be enjoyed by all ages, so it could be a great option for a family with various ages and athletic abilities.

Consider your property

If you are thinking seriously of turning your backyard into recreation central, both Maslow and Layman agree that you should consult a company who has experience installing sports courts. Ask about what products they use, whether they rely on subcontractors, and what pitfalls they might run into on the job, and how any pitfalls might affect the budget and timeline.

An experienced landscaper can advise on how to best utilize your property, and how to make your dream court a reality.

If you’re pressed for space, you can still incorporate most or all of the elements you’re looking for by scaling things down.

Who says a court needs to be regulation sized? Unless you are hosting official sports tournaments, you can cheat the size without impacting enjoyment. For example, a bocce court doesn’t have to be the full 13 x 91 feet, as long as you have a rectangular shape generous enough to play. Because it’s custom, it can be

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scaled anyway you’d like. “There is no limit to variations that you can do, and you can make a smaller court if that’s what’s required of the property. There is no right or wrong,” says Layman.

A few things to consider are lighting, fencing and seating or comfort areas. Do you anticipate that you’ll gather in a big group to shoot hoops? You may want a few benches or a seating area built in nearby, or a patio off to the side with furniture. Maslow says to also think about built-in outdoor fridges, kitchens or grill spaces. Fencing may be necessary to contain balls from bouncing into woods or neighbors’ yards, and if after-dark play is on your list, talk to your contractor about appropriate lighting. However, if you are in a neighborhood, be sure to run your plans by your homeowner’s association, as they may have restrictions on fence height or sports courts. Be sure you have approval before you secure the work.

Keep within your budget

While you may dream of a backyard outfitted to the nines, you’re probably working with another number: the budget.

However, there are ways to control spending while also getting the functionality you want. Maslow says budget busters are sloped property and restricted access. For example, if he has to pump concrete from the street rather than move a truck to the site, it increases cost. If elaborate retaining walls have to be built to create a flat space, the budget will be significantly more than if a relatively flat spot with great access is present.

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If you’d love a basketball court but your yard is sloped, consider creating an annex to your driveway and putting a hoop there. “We do lots of these,” says Maslow. “It’s a very economical way to do it.”

A high-quality in-ground basketball hoop can run approximately $1,500, and other accessories like attached lighting, pole pads and netting can complete the set-up. Again, check with your homeowner’s association before installing, and if you are DIYing the hoop, have utilities marked before you dig to avoid hitting power or cable lines.

Another way to keep the budget from ballooning is to do your backyard project in phases. Maybe you can afford the sports court right now, but landscaping, lighting, fencing or patio areas have to wait until later. You can also DIY a sports court area, though some are easier than others. A bocce ball court, for example, could be a good starter project.

For more confident home project gurus, sites like Versacourt.com, who manufacture the click-together tiles, provide court design software for the DIY enthusiast. Once familiar with the process, you could hire out parts of the work, and commit to doing some of it yourself to save costs.

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EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE HOME premier profile 2020

S

Seven Oaks is a “one-stop shop.” We offer all you need to make your landscaping dream become reality. From the initial design, to the installation of landscapes, hardscapes, irrigation, and lighting, all the way to full-service maintenance, we strive to keep your investment looking new for years to come. Give us a call, and “Experience the Seven Oaks Difference.”

Seven Oaks has been bringing your landscape dreams to reality since 1991. Every year our team of highly trained and dedicated employees successfully completes over 300 landscape projects, featuring lush green lawns, colorful flowers, stately trees, walkways, driveways, and beautifully crafted outdoor living areas.

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PROJECT PROFILE Since 1973, Mike and Carol Musser have been putting their all into their dream home. Through many additions, renovations, failures, and successes, their dream has become a reality.

Each year since 2014, Seven Oaks Landscapes Hardscapes Inc. sends a team of professionals, up to 10 employees, to install this week-long “annual bonanza.”

The Mussers have year-round employees, one full-time and 2 part-time, to keep the property looking its best.

A vast majority of the work here is done in the spring, as over 90 percent of the flowers are annuals. Annuals are a whole different ball game to care for, requiring knowledge and education of each plant, along with constant care. Carol has expressed several times that they are “fanatics about babying the property” and Mike “can’t tell you how much Miracle-Gro she’s bought this year,” let alone in her lifetime!

Carol takes immaculate care of everything she touches, be it her family, her pets, her home, her guests and noticeably, her perfect plants and flawless flowers.

Landscaping is an extension of your home. It’s your vision.

With attention to detail, dependable maintenance and a commitment to quality, we strive to meet that vision.

Call to schedule your consultation: 540.489.3715

DESIGN backsplash options

make a splash

BACKSPLASH OPTIONS THAT PUT THE FUN IN FUNCTIONAL

B Y K E N DA L L AT K I N S L I V I C K

A

backsplash can make an average Joe or plain Jane feel like a veritable Rachel Ray or Guy Fieri, cooking the day away in a kitchen that is nothing short of pure glam. Offering protection from the inevitable splashes that happen near sinks and ranges, backsplashes are both functional and stylish.

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If you plan to tackle your backsplash as a DIY project, prepare yourself for the technical aspects in advance. Consider tricky spots in your kitchen layout, like outlets and switches that require specific cuts and an added element of precision in measuring and application. Supplies will vary depending on the backsplash style you choose, but you’ll definitely need a tape measure and a level.

In addition to backsplash material, other supplies may consist of adhesive, grout and caulk. For application, many projects require a notched trowel, along with tools to cut and shape tile, including a tile saw, tile cutter and tile nipper.

Choosing a style should be fun, but it’s not a choice a homeowner makes every day. If the project feels less like a lighthearted splash and more like a tidal wave of analysis paralysis, it’s time to explore and narrow it down.

WHITE SUBWAY: Ceramic horizontal rectangular

tiles fitted in rows and columns. Ideal for modern kitchens and bathrooms with pops of color elsewhere, coupled with unique statement pieces in the form of light fixtures, barstools and fancy gadgets. DIY or DI-Don’t? It depends. You can go about it the old-fashioned way by hiring a contractor to measure, cut, grout and place; or you can purchase peel and stick rectangles and arrange them yourself. No muss, no fuss.

VENETIAN PLASTER: Layers of plaster,

sealed with a water-protectant wax. Ideal for the thrifty homeowner with a flair for European vibes, looking for a quick project that makes an immediate difference. DIY or DI-Don’t? Perfect DIY project that requires less precision compared to other options for backsplash projects. Watch an instructional video, gather your goop and a spatula, and roll up your sleeves.

STONE SLABS OR PANELS: Variety of stones

with asymmetrical coloration differentiation. Ideal for earthy types with an affinity for nature colors with an air of luxury. DIY or DI-Don’t? This will depend on experience level and weight of the stone. If it’s lightweight and you’re good with your hands, you may want to give it a shot. If the task is weighing you down, call in an expert.

METALS: Sheets of copper or stainless steel panels, available in slick, textured or patterned varieties.

Ideal for contemporary or industrial style kitchens.

DIY or DI-Don’t? This can be an easy DIY that doesn’t require the tedium of placing and fitting multiple pieces. Order precut sheets. Apply construction adhesive (or even double-sided tape depending on the weight), fit, press, and voilà!

VINYL WALLPAPER: More durable than traditional wallpaper, pattern possibilities are r vhomemaga zine .com 25

Grout Tips, Tricks & Cautions Grout can be the transformational component that defines your space. n The texture of grout you choose will depend on tile size and joint specifics. Consult an expert for suggestions among options such as unsanded, finely-sanded, quarry-type and epoxy. n If you want to enlarge your space and make fine lines disappear, choose white on white. If you want to draw the eye to the geometric pattern of the tile, opt for a contrasting color (i.e., black or gray grout for white subway tile). n Neutrals aren’t for everyone. If you want to create an intentional vibe like cheerfulness or match or contrast other colors in the room, look to the other colors of the rainbow for inspiration. n Color caution: Be sure to read reviews. While some cement-based grouts mixed with pigmentation can fade, others that feature color baked into a high-quality resin, for instance, can often stand the test of time. Also note that a colorful grout isn’t easy to change if you don’t like it. You might want to ask for other opinions or play around with some interior design websites like Modsy or Decorist to test out your vision before committing.

endless. Ideal for high traffic areas like kitchens, due to the wipeable nature of vinyl.

Excellent for eccentric kitchens and bathrooms that make a bold statement. However, neutral options are available. DIY or DI-Don’t? DIY it up on this one! Peel and stick varieties are very user friendly and super quick.

PAINT: Any color or chalkboard variety conducive to wet and humid environments.

Ideal for homeowners wanting a simple change, and artsy types who want to have fun with stencils or mimic other backsplash styles with the stroke of a brush. DIY or DI-Don’t?

Terrific, budget-friendly DIY project if you have a little time and patience to apply paint tape and any extra stencil or stroke features.

THERMOPLASTIC: Features a metallic finish of nickel and bronze. Ideal for variety seeking folks who want that metallic look with many traditional and modern options to choose from; low-maintenance installation and cleaning. DIY or DI-Don’t? Easy DIY with some simple precision and a dash of silicone glue.

RECLAIMED WOOD: Panels of various

cuts and types of reclaimed wood. Ideal for rustic cabin-style kitchens and bars; strategy for making a plain bathroom cozier and more inviting. DIY or DI-Don’t? Unless this is your trade or passion, reclaimed wood construction can be tedious and expensive. In most cases, it’s better to give a pro a go.

GLASS: Timeless choice for brilliant shine,

easy cleaning, and no grout lines. Ideal for low-hassle living, with the possibility for creativity. Choose a wallpaper in a fun pattern and place behind the glass for a statement look. DIY or DI-Don’t? It’s possible to DIY a glass backdrop yourself, but without a lot of experience, the cutting and measuring leaves room for error, not to mention danger. If you’re a novice, better leave it to an expert.

ANTIQUE MIRROR: Discolored sheet mirror that disguises splatters because they blend in (for better or for worse).Ideal for a retro wet bar, a butler’s pantry, or an oldfashioned backdrop to an otherwise ultramodern kitchen with clean lines. DIY or DI-Don’t? Like glass, antique mirror handling requires specific precision. For safety, call a pro.

If it feels like you’re drowning in a sea of options, come up for air and inspiration. Make a splash! ✦ 26

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LIVE summer menus

Savory Summer Sides

Elevated basics for your next cookout

BY MARSHA GALE Summer is the best time of year for letting simple ingredients shine. With the bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs available, you can make dishes that are not only delicious but beautiful to behold. Grill a steak or a marinated chicken breast and serve with a couple of these salads for a feast that screams “summer” in a fresh new way. Finish off your meal with “grown-up” popsicles, and you’ll want to keep this menu on repeat all summer long. r vhomemaga zine .com 27

Tip: Boiling corn on the cob works just fine, but my favorite way to cook it is in the microwave. It is the easiest method ever—no waiting for water to boil, and no pan to wash. Place one ear of corn in its husk in the microwave. Cook on high for four minutes. Let cool for a minute or two, then hold the corn with a towel or pot holder (because it’s very hot), and cut off the end. Grasp the top and slip off the husk. Then pop the ear of corn in a bowl of very cold water for a minute to stop the cooking process. Repeat with the rest of the corn.

Fresh Corn Salad with Basil and Scallions (serves 4)

5 ears of corn, shucked 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced 1/4 cup olive oil 2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup finely sliced fresh basil leaves Sugar, optional Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling corn on the cob, be sure to add enough salt that the water tastes like the sea; about 2 tablespoons should do it. Try adding a few tablespoons of sugar to the water as well; it will enhance the corn's sweetness.

Boil the corn until tender, about 3–4 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain the corn and immerse it in very cold water to stop the cooking process.

Place cooked corn on a cutting board, and use a serrated knife to cut the kernels off the cobs.

In a large bowl, combine kernels with scallions, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. If the salad tastes too tart, add a bit more oil; if it tastes bland, add a bit more vinegar or salt and pepper. Try adding a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar if the corn isn't as sweet as you'd like. Serve the salad cold or at room temperature.

Grilled and Stacked Watermelon Salad (serves 4) Assembly is fast and easy, but this special salad requires some advance prep work. It’s worth every minute!

2 (at least) caramelized onions 1 red seedless watermelon, sliced into 8 squares (3" x 3" x 1/2") 2 grilled peaches 4 1/2-inch-thick slices firm feta 2 tablespoons toasted pistachios 4 small handfuls arugula Olive oil Salt and pepper Balsamic glaze to taste

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TIP: You can buy balsamic glaze, but if you want to make your own, it’s simple. Pour 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Swirl pan a few times. It should take about 5 minutes to become thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and cool.)

Caramelizing the onions takes about 15 minutes; do this step well ahead of time so the onions have time to cool. Slice onions into thin slices. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and then the sliced onions.

Onions shrink a lot as they cook, so I always make extra, which you can then use on burgers, steaks, salads and pizzas. Stir onions occasionally as they become soft and juicy and then caramelized. Add a little salt. When they are a deep golden brown, remove from heat and cool. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or the freezer for up to three months.

Cut the watermelon into squares, or you can get fancy and use cookie cutters. (Stars, for example, would be cute for the Fourth of July.)

While the onions are caramelizing, preheat your grill and slice peaches in half. Brush the peaches and watermelon slices lightly with olive oil and grill over medium-high heat.

The watermelon only takes about 10 seconds per side. Grill those first and then grill peach halves for 4-5 minutes per side. You should have pretty grill marks and the peach skin will be loose; pull it off with tongs. Cool peach halves then cut into slices.

Toss arugula with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.

To assemble the salad: Start with a square of watermelon, then add a slice of feta. Layer on caramelized onions and sliced peaches. Add another slice of watermelon. Top with a small handful of arugula, sprinkle with pistachios and drizzle balsamic glaze over all. Serve immediately.

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French Potato Salad (Serves 4 to 6)

1 pound small white boiling potatoes 1 pound small red boiling potatoes 2 tablespoons good dry white wine 2 tablespoons chicken stock 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 10 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts) 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves Drop potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in half (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place them in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

French 75 Popsicles (Makes 10 pops)

For a fun twist on a classic summer treat, try a boozy popsicle. If you don't own ice pop molds, try this quick hack: Pour Prosecco into a large wine glass and then add a fruity popsicle. Tada! You’ve got yourself a pop-tail.

2 ounces Champagne or Prosecco 4 ounces cognac or gin 4 ounces simple syrup 3 ounces fresh lemon juice Combine all ingredients in a large measuring cup, then evenly distribute in your popsicle molds, leaving about 1/4 inch of room at the top, then freeze. (You’ll have around 3 ounces left over after filling the molds.) ✦

Combine vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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IMPROVE the future of trades

THE BUILD SMART INSTITUTE PREPARING TODAY’S KIDS FOR TOMORROW’S FUTURE

BY C AROL J. ALE X ANDER

I

t’s no secret the building trades lack skilled employees. When the recession hit in 2008, over 600,000 U.S. construction workers left the industry, never to return. This mass exodus left a gaping hole. Now, 12 years later, roughly 274,000 vacant jobs exist in the construction industry nationwide, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To add to the dilemma, a 2019 survey conducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) reports that 70 percent of parents surveyed said they would advise against their children entering the construction industry rather than go to college.

“F&S has felt that pain when searching for employees,” says Alicia Smith, director of marketing and development with F&S Building Innovations in Roanoke. “But we decided to stop crying about it and do something.”

That something is to start the Build Smart Institute (BSI). A dream for a number of years, BSI is finally coming to fruition under the directorship of Rob Leonard, also safety director with F&S. He started in his role as director of education with BSI in February 2019 and in that time has overseen the development of a program they both hope will help the industry as a whole and fill the need that trade schools are struggling to fill.

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The stigma against the trades goes back as far as the 1970s, according to Leonard, who’s been in the industry for over 40 years. “When I was young, I had a mentor who instilled in me a respect for the trades. He predicted that by 2000 they would be a lost art,” he says. His mentor had a valid concern.

“Since then,” says Leonard, “shop classes in schools have evaporated.”

Working with Virginia’s Department of Labor and Industry, with F&S as a sponsoring employer in the Virginia Registered Apprenticeship program, and the Home Builders Institute (HBI), an educational arm of the National Association of Home Builders, for curriculum guidance, Leonard’s team has built a program that will train skilled workers in all facets of the construction industry.

And with the closure of schools due to the coronavirus lockdown, they quickly moved into action by offering virtual learning to public and private schools.

Although BSI will eventually offer adult education (hopefully this fall), they plan to soft launch in July with a summer enrichment camp for 11–15-year-olds. After three weeks of camp, kids will walk away with an OSHA training card and credentials from HBI. Leonard’s team built BSI’s learning management system around the HBI’s Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) framework.

The four points of their curriculum include safety; construction math; means, methods and materials; and employability. The students earn badges when they reach certain Representatives from Build Smart Institute were invited to speak at candidacy competency levels. announcement party of program proponent An advantage of BSI’s and city council member Trish White-Boyd learning management earlier this year. (Left to right) Tina Rush, system is that it President, F&S Building Innovations; Alicia Smith, President, Build Smart Institute; Trish provides prospective White-Boyd, Roanoke City Council; Sherman employers a measurable Lee, Roanoke Mayor; Rob Leonard, Director, means to judge the Build Smart Institute graduate’s skills. “It lets employers know what they can do,” Leonard says.

BSI isn’t just looking for students, though. According to Leonard, now that there’s a growing interest in trades education, there’s a lack of private industry partners to sponsor apprenticeships. To fill that need, BSI is also offering courses to train apprenticeship mentors that will have a universal application, not just for construction. “We’re looking for sponsorships and volunteers,” he says.

Every Roanoke County public school student tours Burton Center for Arts and Technology upon entering middle school, as an introduction to what educational options exist. But, according to Leonard, the school is overburdened and can’t handle the R o a n o ke Va l l e y H O M E S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

number of applicants. “Build Smart Institute can fill those classroom hours,” he says, by providing an alternate source of training for the trades.

And, to assist families that need it, BSI is starting a scholarship fund.

BSI’s summer enrichment program has more benefits than learning construction skills. The safety awareness, communication skills, and hands-on learning will never leave them. Not to mention, apply to future DIY projects.

“Even if they decide not to go into the industry,” says Leonard, “the kids gain good resume building skills for the future.”

BSI plans to begin adult education programming in September for young adults wishing to enter the building trades or older adults wanting a career change. They’ll also offer training for apprenticeship mentors.

For more information or to enroll, visit the BSI website at BuildSmartInstitute.com. ✦ SOURCES www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t01.htm#jolts_ table1.f.p www.doli.virginia.gov/apprenticeship/ www.forbes.com/sites/ columbiabusinessschool/2019/07/31/theconstruction-labor-shortage-will-developersdeploy-robotics/#39941f287198

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history lovers’

HAVEN

BY NOELLE MIL AM Photography by Kevin Hurley

I

n the year 1820, a prosperous settler named John Gray purchased a large plot of land south of the bustling frontier town of Fincastle. Gray, who later became the sheriff of Botetourt County, planned a home atop a nearby mountain where he and his family could enjoy the panoramic mountain views. The home, Prospect Hill, a federal-style home with an impressive twostory portico, was completed in 1837. Two hundred years later, it still stands gracefully on its ridge above the town of Fincastle. Honored on the National Register of Historic Places, and listed in the Virginia Landmark Commission, Prospect Hill is owned and cared for by Valerie Lucas and her family.

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V

alerie and her late husband Ron purchased the home nearly 20 years ago. “We bought the place at an auction,” Valerie says, gesturing to the front yard. “They set up the auction right out there.” Valerie and her husband Ron, owner of local building company R.L. Lucas Construction, had grown restless in their new construction home and were looking for a new project. They’d gone to the auction that day, back in September 2001, because they were interested in purchasing a 50-acre parcel of land where they could build a new home that would enable Ron to exercise his skill as a builder, allow space for gardens and orchards that both dreamed about, and give them room for their pets.

As they milled around at the auction, along with

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other interested bidders, the auctioneer, a family friend, suggested they would stand a better chance if they submitted a bid that included the aging structure of Prospect Hill. Valerie and Ron looked over the property. It had been partially renovated, with two wings added to provide an indoor kitchen, an extra bedroom, and upstairs bathrooms and closets, back in the late 1930s, but the house needed a lot of TLC. Valerie recalls, “Ron just looked at me, and I thought, ‘Oh my God … We just built a house, and we’ve only lived in it for four years!’ But what I said was, ‘If you want to do this, I will support you.’” An hour later, Ron and Valerie were the owners of the acreage they were originally seeking, an additional 40 acres adjoining, and a large historic house in need of extensive renovation.

Renovations began on the home in early 2002. It took Ron and his crew six months, working every day. Valerie came over each afternoon after she finished her run as a rural mail carrier. Over the

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course of the renovations, they shored up or replaced whole walls, replaced all the windows (except the large transoms over the doors and at the landing), updated all the plumbing, electricity and HVAC, and renovated bathrooms and the kitchen. They also added crown molding.

“The house had some beautiful original wainscoting and fireplace details, and it’s such a grand place, we were actually surprised there wasn’t crown molding.

We just felt the house needed it,” Valerie says. The carved dogwood flowers over the front door are a detail that Ron found in a millwork catalog, and felt that they just belonged in this historic Virginia home.

The home has extra-wide doors and an imposing arched transom window over both the first and second floor exterior doors to the portico that must have cost John Gray dearly back in the day. A traditional central hallway of generous size stretches from the front door to the back, with a large carved staircase ascending to the second floor. Nothing is recorded about the original craftsmen of this home. John Gray was a slave owner, and Valerie thinks it is possible that some of the building might have been done by enslaved craftsmen. However Ron’s historical research indicates that there was a succession of itinerant homebuilders constructing homes in the area at the time. Valerie suspects that Prospect Hill was probably designed and built in large part by one of those because of similarities in style, trim, and layout she’s noted between her home and other historic homes in the area. Details, such as the fan-shaped transom, carved fireplaces, or the trompe l’oeil painting on the original wainscoting in the living room, are a testament to the skill of these craftsmen, whoever they were.

The front hall is dominated by a large antique oil painting of George Washington, who spent some time in Botetourt County in his younger years. Valerie’s sister, interior designer Gloria Jean Miles, found the painting at an antique shop in Richmond. A local evaluation has since found it to be an original, over 100 years old, and likely one of the many portraits commissioned of the first president for America’s centennial celebrations in 1876. Alongside the painting are several mementos of Ron’s favorite hobby: history and historical research of the area. r vhomemaga zine .com 37

There’s a pen and ink map of Botetourt County, photographs of Prospect Hill from the early part of the 20th century, and others of another historic Fincastle home, Solitude, that Ron’s company renovated exhaustively over a decade ago.

According to Valerie, the dining room and living room of the home are mostly original. Both sport 11-foot ceilings, fireplaces with original mantels and surrounds, and windows that are practically floor to ceiling. The windows capture the expansive views available in every direction, making it obvious how Prospect Hill got its name.

Some of the heart pine flooring in the dining room had to be replaced, but in the rest of the house it is intact and in remarkably good shape.

Valerie sees to the floor upkeep herself. “There’s a lot this 70-year-old can do,” she laughs. “I’m just not a fan of polyurethane in old houses. It doesn’t last. You have to strip it and do it again. I choose to do it myself.” To condition, protect, and keep the mellow shine of the home’s flooring, Valerie has her very own formula: She wipes on a rustic maple stain, then puts English bowling alley wax over the stain, buffing the whole thing out with an antique buffer. “It makes a big difference,” Valerie says. She recalls that her son Jason Lucas, who learned the building trade at his father’s knee and now runs the family enterprise, came by amidst Valerie’s floor restoration project. “He asked, ‘What’d you do to these floors, Mom?’” Valerie recalls. “So I told him. There was a long pause, and then he finally said, ‘Looks good.’ That is very high praise from a builder!”

Valerie and Ron chose mostly antiques to furnish the home in a manner suitable to its age and style. Valerie credits design help from both her sister Gloria Jean and her daughter Mandeline Hentzel, also an interior designer. The window treatments were created by Richmond area specialist Annie Johnston, known for such projects as the Governor’s Mansion and the Greenbrier. “They were an expensive project for us,” says Valerie. “But they’ve been hanging for 16 years, and they still look great; they’ll probably be hanging for many more years. I’m not one who wants to redo things over and over. I just want it done so I can be outside enjoying the farm.”

In front of the fireplace in the living room is a glass-top table that houses a collection of artifacts collected by Ron and Valerie mostly from around the property. Under the glass lie arrowheads, pottery shards, a musket ball, nails and assorted tools and implements. The collection also includes a typed notice for the women students of Swarthmore College to get signed permission from their parents to ride in cars. “We found that in the dining room, stuck in behind the fireplace,” says Valerie. “It was probably from the family who lived here and renovated the place in the 30s.”

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That 1930s renovation, which added a wing to each side of the original house, gave the owners a ground floor bedroom and bath on one side of the structure, a large wing for a kitchen, laundry and powder room on the other. All of these functions would have been located in outbuildings when it was originally built. Valerie is particularly proud of the dog-patterned wallpaper that livens the powder room. “Well, you can tell we are dog people,” says Valerie, her hands frequently straying down to pat the heads of the hounds, Timber and Lolo, who follow her everywhere. “So when my daughter found this wallpaper in New York, and it even looked like our dogs, well, I just had to have it!”

The large eat-in kitchen features a custom banquette and warm wood cabinets. According to Valerie, Ron carefully designed the whole layout himself and the couple used Carter’s Cabinets to build it. “Ron pointed out that we really live in our kitchen,” recalls Valerie, “so he wanted the space to be warm and inviting, but also extremely 4 0

functional.” She points out the thoughtful way the cooking area is separated from the rest of the kitchen by a breakfast bar, ensuring the cook doesn’t have to complete for space. Valerie’s favorite thing in the kitchen is the terra cotta-hued backsplash which picks up the colors of the pheasant-print window treatments. “I had already picked that fabric for the windows, and it took me forever to find the right backsplash,” says Valerie. “The minute I saw those tiles, I knew they were right.”

The home has three bedrooms, two upstairs and one on the ground floor. All bedrooms have been renovated to include large closets and en suite bathrooms. Valerie and her sister have enjoyed decorating the rooms with lively colors and prints. The upstairs bedrooms have elaborate half-tester beds incorporating coordinating fabrics chosen to complement each room. The blue room has a custom-embroidered coverlet and pillow shams, the initials PH worked in deep red on a creamy background. “When my sister and I first R o a n o ke Va l l e y H O M E S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

r vhomemaga zine .com 41

showed the embroidered bedding to Ron, he got the most confused look on his face,” Valerie says. “He wondered aloud if it was the initials of a rival high school, perhaps? My sister and I just about died laughing. ‘Ron!’ I said, ‘It’s for Prospect Hill!’ I never let him live that one down!”

Outside, the home is ready for another growing season. Green lawn stretches down to small vistas: a grouping of stone benches, a relaxing hammock, a planter spilling spring flowers, the graceful arms of old lilacs.

Meandering gravel pathways wrap around the house, delineating beds and marking out garden “rooms”: a dining area with a grill, a covered porch perfect for lazy summer evenings sipping lemonade, an area designated for bulbs planted around a iron bird bath.

Valerie’s son and grandsons help with the many outdoor chores like mowing, mulching and planting, but Valerie does a lot of the work herself. “When we bought this place, the whole yard was grown up with briars and bushes.

You couldn’t even walk out here,” Valerie says.

“There was a fence that came around the house only and they mowed inside of that. The rest was just wild. Ron and I spent years reclaiming the land. I actually like this work.” Fortunately, they both enjoyed working outside, slowly cultivating their hillside with boxwoods, bulbs and flowering bushes that enhanced the exterior of their home. This past year brought the decimation of dozens of old boxwoods that were planted over a century ago as foundation plantings, but fell victim to the boxwood blight that has ravaged boxwoods across Virginia. “It’s so sad! I’m still working on ideas for what to put in their place,” says Valerie. “It’s just such a shame to lose all those bushes.”

The covered porch with its comfortable furniture is Valerie’s favorite outdoor spot.

The black and white cushions were inspired from a project that her daughter Mandeline was working on for a family in Connecticut.

Valerie saw pictures and loved the classic feel of the crisp black and white fabrics and immediately ordered the fabric for her own porch cushions. Valerie and her family and friends enjoy sitting out there on summer afternoons. “We rarely need to turn on A/C up here,” she says. “It pretty much stays comfortable up on this hill. Any breezes there are, we’re going to get them.”

Touring Prospect Hill with Valerie and hearing all the love and work that she and Ron put into transforming what was once a declining historic home into an updated and carefully preserved family home, it seems as though the couple are still putting their own touches on this magnificent landmark. Their 4 2

R o a n o ke Va l l e y H O M E S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

personalities seem to be woven into the very fabric of the place.

Over the past several years, Valerie has thought long and hard about whether she wants to keep up with everything at Prospect Hill without Ron. She’s even gone so far as to entertain putting the place on the market, but each time, something has held her back. “The truth is, I could never live anywhere else,” she says. “Our memories are here, but so is my family. Having my son and his family living on the property has been what saved me.”

Ron lives on in every room of Prospect Hill, his painstaking restoration of each room, his chosen colors, furniture and lighting, and especially in his

love of history. Valerie indicates two large binders full of photos and history Ron collected of their unique property. “This was what he loved the most,” she says.

Prospect Hill has watched from its hillside as southwestern Virginia has weathered the better part of two centuries, and has survived into the 21st century, thanks to the love and care of Valerie and Ron Lucas and their family. “This is a property that needs to be shared,” says Valerie. “It is a tangible piece of history. It’s what Ron loved about it and what I love about it. I see myself as its caretaker and I feel fortunate that I get to enjoy it too.” ✦

PROSPECT HILL HAS WATCHED FROM ITS HILLSIDE AS SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA HAS WEATHERED THE BETTER PART OF TWO CENTURIES, AND HAS SURVIVED INTO THE 21ST CENTURY, THANKS TO THE LOVE AND CARE OF VALERIE AND RON LUCAS AND THEIR FAMILY.

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We promise. ryanharrisgroup.com 540-375-9078 ROANOKE VALLEY | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE | FRANKLIN COUNTY 540-463-5648 r vhomemaga zine .com 4 3

DESIGN lighting specs

LIGHTING 101

SPECS TO HELP ILLUMINATE YOUR SPACE

B Y PAU L A P E T E R S C H A M B E R S

There’s plenty of good news when it comes to lighting the interior of your home: options are abundant, instructions—in some cases, formulas—are available, and, best of all, you make the decisions.

“We tell our customers that we provide guidelines,” says Kate Farmer of Sweet Peas Lighting and Decor in Gretna. “At the end of the day, your home has to make you happy.”

As owners of a residential construction company, Farmer and her husband, Ben, often helped homeowners with lighting selections. After a client observed that she wasn’t thrilled to spend $4,000 on a fixture without being able to see it in person, an idea was born.

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The couple bought a building that had been a lighting store years before, which helped foster relationships with lighting manufacturers that have seen brickand-mortar lighting stores close, under pressure from online sales. Now, Farmer says, customers again have the chance to see, up close, different finishes and configurations, as well as evaluate quality of craftsmanship.

“The market is so large, and the possibilities are just endless,” she notes.

“You can’t get a really good feel for what you’re buying when you’re online.”

Farmer has an information sheet she gives clients to help guide the lighting process. She also advises people to find pictures of what they like, whether in magazines or online. Common pitfalls to avoid include selecting fixtures that are too small for the space, hanging lights too high, and using inexpensive LED bulbs that, yes, will burn out earlier than they should.

Here are some general guidelines to get you started when lighting your home.

Specs to consider

Throughout the house, pay attention to ceiling height. Eight feet is standard, but some may be are taller. Make sure overhead lights are no less than 7 feet from the floor. For two-story spaces, hang fixtures so the bottom is level with where the first-floor ceiling would be.

In a foyer or entryway that’s not vaulted, look for a flush mount or semiflush, where the fixture extends no more than 6 to 8 inches from the ceiling. These low-profile fixtures are also suitable for closets, utility rooms and smaller bathrooms.

For an overhead fixture in the living room, the larger the room, the larger the light. To determine size, add the length and width of the room. The total represents the size, in inches, that the fixture should be. For example, for a room that’s 14 feet by 16 feet, consider a fixture that’s 30 inches in diameter. For the height of the fixture, measure the ceiling height and multiply by 2.5 and 3.

The resulting number, in inches, is the suggested range for height. For example, a 9-foot ceiling would call for a fixture that’s 22.5 inches to 27 inches tall.

Recessed or can lights should be placed starting in the center of the room, with an equal distance between them.

The distance should be half the ceiling

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height, so a room with an 8-foot ceiling should have can lights placed 4 feet apart. Keep lights 3 feet away from walls.

Wall sconces should be placed no lower than 5 feet from the floor, 4 to 6 feet apart, unless they are being used to highlight a specific area, such as furniture or a fireplace.

In the dining room, the table being lit helps determine the size of the fixture. Select one that will hang 28 to 36 inches above the table and will be 6 inches from every edge. If the table is rectangular or oval, a linear design works best, to evenly light the full surface. If the table is square or round, a chandelier or pendant works well.

With all the work that happens in the kitchen, good lighting is essential. Pendants should be hung over islands or countertops so they are 28 to 34 inches from the working surface. Lights should be placed so they aren’t in the way of the person standing at the counter. If you have a tall family, hang the lights higher!

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Two or three pendants over a counter are best, to avoid visual clutter. To determine placement over a workspace that doesn’t have a sink or stovetop, measure the length of the counter. If hanging two pendants, divide that length by 3, then hang each pendant that distance from the opposite edges. If hanging three pendants, center the first pendant at the midpoint, then hang each other equidistant from the center light to the edge. Again, make sure there’s at least 6 inches between the light and the edge of the counter.

Most bathroom lighting is found alongside or above the mirror. If possible, vertical lights are preferable, because they provide even facial lighting. Side sconces should be 18 inches tall (or 12 inches, for small powder rooms). The center of the fixture should be at eye level. For lights above a mirror, select a fixture that is roughly 75 percent the width of the mirror.

Fancy chandeliers in the bathroom are fun, but need to be hung 8 feet above the top of the tub and 3 feet away from the edge, to prevent injury.

Remember, Farmer says, lighting should reflect the homeowner. “In my mind, lighting is an accessory, like jewelry,” she adds. “If it makes you happy, you’re the only one who has to be happy about it.” ✦

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pick a pepper

Popular peppers for every taste

BY S LOA N E LU C A S

Whether sliced and sautÊed into fajitas, stuffed with quinoa and baked, pureed into a spicy sauce or seared as a snack, peppers are an extremely versatile and fun ingredient for a variety of cuisines. Ranging from mild to burning hot, there’s a pepper for every taste and every culinary need.

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Peppers were once unique to the New World. While they could be found growing in Latin America and were integrated into cuisine there, they didn’t become known to Europe and Asia until after explorers brought them back. They now feature prominently in dishes from every corner of the world.

Chiles get their heat from capsaicin, a chemical present in the genus Capsicum, the family to which all peppers belong—from the mildest grocery store bell pepper to the hottest varieties. As peppers ripen from green to red they increase in capsaicin, so greener versions will be milder than more mature versions of the same peppers. Peppers pack a punch when it comes to nutrition, offering vitamins A, C and E, along with folate and potassium.

Capsaicin is also believed to boost circulation.

While they vary in color, flavor and ideal use, a critical main difference between peppers is heat. Originally developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, the modern Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale helps us differentiate heat level among countless varieties of peppers. The most mild of peppers, such as red, orange or yellow bell peppers, can rate as low as a 0 on the scale. A Caribbean maintstay like Scotch bonnet peppers can hit a heat rating of 400,000 SHUs. A spicy jalapeño might fall around 8,000, where a mild poblano would be around 1,500. It’s not an exact science though, because the same pepper variety can vary in heat based on where it was grown, how long it was left to ripen, and other factors. And certainly, there are ranges between varieties. But checking the Scoville scale is a way to gauge roughly the kind of heat you can expect. It also helps with substitutions, so you don’t add an overly hot pepper to a dish meant for something mild. So be sure to hop online and do a quick Google search to investigate the range for any unfamiliar pepper you are thinking of using.

As a rough guide: mild peppers range between 0 and 4,000; medium peppers range between 4,000 and 15,000; and hot peppers range between 15,000 and 50,000. Taste test different types of peppers to see where your comfort zone might be—at least until you build a tolerance for the hotter varieties.

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In addition to choosing certain varieties, you can also prep peppers to control heat. Capsaicin is concentrated in the white pith and veins inside of the pepper, which means if you remove the seeds (including all pith connecting them) you’ll lower the heat. Always use caution when prepping hot peppers. These are the times to use disposable kitchen or medical gloves, so you can prep the peppers, clean the knife and cutting board and then take the gloves off. If you accidentally touch your eye with hot pepper oil on your hands, flush your eye repeatedly with water to control the sting.

Peppers are extremely easy to grow yourself. You can buy seedlings at a local home improvement store or start rarer varieties from seed. You can grow them in the ground, or in containers, and they don’t need a lot of TLC. Some good soil and regular watering will yield great results. You can have multiple varieties in your home garden, allowing you to pick what you need for various recipes. You can also dry them yourself in a low-heat oven, or using a dehydrator, so you can preserve them for future use. Or, you can make a simple hot sauce with a batch of mixed stragglers from the end of the season. Pulverize peppers in a blender with vinegar and salt (and other spices or sweeteners, if you choose) and then bring to a boil over medium heat. Store in an old glass salad dressing jar and enjoy with wings.

If you don’t have a green thumb, no worries. Check out your local grocery stores for fresh peppers, perhaps venturing to Latin or Asian markets for rarer fresh varieties. And don’t neglect the canned and jarred aisles. You can get wonderful ready-to-use peppers in the international sections of your local grocers.

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Pick a Perfect Pepper

Here are some popular peppers, and some not-so-common varieties, ranked by heat.

Bell (0–500 SHU)

These are standard variety peppers you can buy year-round at the grocery store or in season at a local farmers market.

They’re reliable, tasty and versatile. Bells come in a variety of colors. Red, orange and yellow are the most popular, but there are other varieties as well, including purple, white and pink. Green bell peppers are in fact under-ripe bell peppers, literally picked green and offering a bitter taste.

As they ripen to other colors, they get sweeter. Bells have a high water content, so are great for recipes where you might want to add moisture. These are perfect raw in a veggie platter, sautéed in fajitas, or stuffed with grains and baked. Or you can roast them over a grill or gas stovetop, peel the skin and use them in salads. Interesting tip when picking them out at stores or farmers markets: Peppers with four lobes at the bottom are female peppers, which are slightly sweeter. Choose these for eating raw. Male peppers have three lobes and are better for baking or roasting.

Banana (0–500 SHU)

These are mild, tangy yellow peppers, great for salads and adding crunch to sandwiches. You may be more familiar with these when pickled and jarred, which you can find in the Italian section of your grocery store. This style is fantastic tossed on top of pizza.

CHECKING THE SCOVILLE SCALE IS A WAY TO GAUGE ROUGHLY THE KIND OF HEAT YOU CAN EXPECT. IT ALSO HELPS WITH SUBSTITUTIONS, SO YOU DON’T ADD AN OVERLY HOT PEPPER TO A DISH MEANT FOR SOMETHING MILD.

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Homemade Hot Sauce Making homemade hot sauce is easy and fun—and very forgiving. There are myriad recipes with varying levels or salt, vinegar and garlic, so experiment with what you like.

INGREDIENTS About 20 peppers (either one kind, or a mix of hot varieties such as habanero, serrano, poblano, cayenne and jalapeno, or even a mix of hotter with sweeter varieties if you want a milder sauce) 3 teaspoons minced garlic (or more, to taste) ½ teaspoon salt (or more, to taste) 1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar Remove stems and tops of the peppers and cut in half. (Wear gloves if working with hotter varieties.) Combine peppers, garlic, salt and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the peppers and garlic have softened. (If possible, work in a wellventilated area, as the peppers will be pungent.) When done, remove saucepan from stove and cool to room temperature. Puree mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste, adding more salt if needed.

Transfer mixture to a clean glass jar and it’s ready to use, although flavor will be better if you wait 2 to 3 weeks. If sauce separates, just give it a shake. You can store in the fridge for up to six months.

INSPIRED BY RECIPE FROM DONTWASTETHECRUMBS.COM

Shishito (100–1,000 SHU)

These peppers are a fun option for a dinner party due to their somewhat unpredictable nature. Most are mild, but every so often you get one with more kick. These are very thin-walled and can therefore be quickly blistered, sautéed or pan-seared and eaten as an appetizer or side. They are often served drizzled with sesame oil and soy sauce. They are picked green but get spicier the longer they stay on the vine.

Poblano (1,000–2,000 SHU)

This is a delicious flavorful pepper that can be eaten green or when red and fully ripe, although the heat will increase significantly when they are red. These peppers are traditionally used for chile rellenos, a favorite dish in many Mexican restaurants, due to their thick walls. You might also know this pepper by its dried version: ancho. If you grow your own poblanos, you can leave some on the vine until they are dark red, then pick them and dry them. Then you can rehydrate them with a soak in hard water to use for recipes or pulverize in a mortar and pestle to create ancho spice, perfect for adding to a dry rub or to add smoky flavor to chili and sauces. They have a nice, rich balance of heat and sweet.

Hatch (1,000–8,000 SHU)

For over 130 years, New Mexico State University has been cultivating chiles unique to the Hatch Valley. The term “Hatch chiles” can therefore refer to multiple varieties grown in the area, which stretches north to south along the Rio Grande. Unless you live in New Mexico, you will have to look for fresh Hatch chiles in upscale grocery stores in August and September. However, you can usually buy them year-round jarred or canned in the Latin food section of your local grocery store. These are wonderful to add in recipes like enchiladas suizas or pork chili. Need a quick game-time snack? Microwave canned Hatch chiles with some classic Velveeta to make a quick queso dip for tortilla chips.

Jalapeño (3,500–8,000 SHU)

are normally used green, in their mildest form, but they can also be allowed to ripen to bright red for more kick as well as sweetness. Like poblanos, jalapeños have an alter ego when dried: chipotle.

Serrano (10,000–23,000 SHU)

Once you’ve graduated from jalapeños and are ready for something a little hotter, serranos are a nice next step. Long and lean, they have thin skins so you can roast them and then chop (without peeling) and add to sauces and chili for some extra heat. They have a wide SHU range though, so taste test to make sure the variety you have isn’t too hot.

Thai (50,000–100,000 SHU)

Some of the prettiest peppers to grow in containers, Thai chiles are only 1-2 inches long and very thin, so they look ornamental. With nearly 80 different varieties, all of which are hot, you can choose any number to grow in hanging baskets or alongside flowers in containers.

You can also find them in some stores fresh, and in most stores canned or jarred.

These are excellent to flavor sauces and curries—especially in seafood dishes, stews and soups—and to give heat to some favorite dishes like pad Thai.

Scotch Bonnet (80,000–400,000 SHU)

These peppers are favorites in the Caribbean islands, most notably in Jamaican cuisine, including jerk chicken and chutney. They are also excellent in hot sauces. They have a squashed shape, resembling Scottish tam o’shanter caps, hence their name. They are lovely in color, coming in bright yellow, orange or red.

They can also be used interchangeably with habaneros.

These are only a sampling of the copious pepper varieties available to grow via seed or seedlings, or to buy fresh or jarred.

They add depth and flavor to multiple cuisines, from Super Bowl snacks to Asian noodles, Mexican classics to Caribbean specialties. So don’t be shy: Pick a pepper, and experiment with varieties with various levels of heat. ✦

Whether stuffed with cream cheese and deep fried, or sliced thin in a spicy salsa, jalapeños are the workhorses of the medium-level peppers. They are exceptionally easy to grow, and easy to buy at grocery stores, fresh or canned. They 52

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LIVE dorm decor

all the

COMFORTS OF HOME cozy and practical dorm room essentials

M

BY MITZI BIBLE

inimalism has been trending for a few years now, but it’s nothing new for anyone who has ever moved into a college residence hall and was forced to fit all their daily necessities into half a room. The first lesson freshmen learn is not how to cram for a test; it’s how to cram their belongings into a tiny space that becomes their new home away from home.

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There's no shortage of Pinterest pins and niche websites to help your child design the dorm room of your coed dreams. But let’s face it: College is already a huge investment for most families and, when it boils down to it, students need practical over posh.

They need an organized environment to study, a comfortable place to nap after those all-nighters, and a stylish spot to hang out with friends. Here is a list that will help you plan your dorm room shopping trip.

Bedding

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Talk to any college student, and they will tell you they spend more time on their bed than anywhere else in their room. That’s why their bedding needs to be comfy but also easily washable.

Most college beds are Twin XL (colleges usually post this with their residence hall information). Some roommates like to coordinate their bedding, but you can’t go wrong with solid colors, which may be a good choice since roommates often change year to year. Choose a reversible set, and you can always switch it up if you want a different look. Because most students plan to use the bedding for the whole four years (or more), pick a sturdy set that’s not too bulky for the washer. A lightweight throw blanket or duvet to cover the comforter is also an option, so the comforter may not need to be washed as often.

Besides a main pillow for sleeping, body pillows are great for lounging (and you can buy washable covers separately).

Remember those backrest/armrest pillows that were popular about 25 years ago? Turns out they’ve stood the test of time and are available in many colors and fabrics. If you have room to splurge, buy a padded mattress topper (great gift idea for a high school graduate!). A long bedskirt can help hide some of those items tucked in that precious storage space under the bed.

A headboard can also add some style to the room. It can be as easy as a piece of fabric hung on the wall to give the illusion of a headboard, or an extra-large pillow. You can also buy headboards online (search “dorm room headboard”), or make your own with fabric, quilt batting and plywood (YouTube has many ideas).

Another option is to buy an over-the-bed shelving unit (much like a hutch for a desk) that fits over the end of the bed for extra storage or to display those special items that remind your student of home.

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Lighting

Standard dorm rooms usually have a single, center fluorescent light. Bring a small desk lamp or lamp that can clip on the side of the bed. A floor lamp with multiple lights can help direct softer light in different directions in the room. Many students also enjoy string lights (even cheap Christmas lights are popular) to line the ceiling or frame a window. Don’t forget to bring a power strip or two.

Floors

That plain concrete or tile can be upgraded with an area rug. Large retailers stock these for college students well before fall, and even today’s synthetic rugs and carpets are durable enough, not to mention relatively inexpensive. Tip: Pack some non-slip grip pads and a small handheld vacuum for quick, easy cleaning.

Walls

Most of the time, you’re dealing with a plain, white cinderblock wall. This is where removable wall strips and

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the extras

Beyond the everyday dorm products such as a mini fridge and shower caddy, here are some extra items to add a special touch to your student’s room: Sturdy, cushioned footstool—which can function as both a step stool to a highrise bed and as extra seating for friends— and a bean bag chair (both easy to store under the bed) Essential oil diffusers or room deodorizers Bed tray for eating and studying Collapsible bag for toting laundry and to use for luggage for that next trip back home

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hooks will become your child’s best friend. (Stock up well before the back-to-school rush or you may be too late.) Posters are still trendy, as well as rope or twine with clothes pins to hang photographs.

Large, lightweight fabric wall hangings that resemble tapestries are easy to hang and fairly inexpensive. Removable peel-and-stick wallpaper has also become popular in recent years. Students sometimes paper the entire room or choose an accent wall to decorate, with choices that range from colorful geometric patterns and subway tiles, to sports images, bold stripes, musical notes, and the popular rustic look of shiplap.

It can be tempting once you view all the ideas online and walk the long aisles of “dorm essentials” in the stores, but remember that space is limited and less is more. And it’s not necessary

to buy every item before you arrive. Just like settling into a new home, sometimes your student needs a couple weeks to really assess what items they need and which ones they can live without.

The best tip for parents who are writing that back-to-school-and-off-to-college shopping list is to remember that their child may be moving to a smaller space, but it’s their space. Independence is also a lesson they are learning, and no professor can teach it better than you. Provide the basics and guide them in creating a personal space that’s all their own, and give them the “space” to do it. ✦ HOME MAGAZINE CONGRATULATES ALL OF OUR AREA SENIORS AS THEY PREPARE FOR COLLEGE. WAY TO GO, CLASS OF 2020!

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Flexible Spaces TIPS TO MAKE YOUR HOME FIT YOUR LIFE

BY RO RY R H O D E S

O

ur house is a study in flexible and evolving spaces. I’m writing from my bedroom office—my “boffice,” as I call it—where I carved out a workspace not too long ago. At the time, my husband had transitioned to a home office, and my elder son had moved into what was formerly the guest room/office. All of this meant that everyone played musical chairs with the bedrooms, and I found that the only quiet work corner available to me was in the master bedroom. A cute desk, and floating shelves with pretty bins, tucked into a corner by the window has provided the perfect setup.

Over the years, at least half the rooms in our house have adapted in some way, whether in purpose, layout, or both, and we are far from unique. Many homeowners find themselves needing to refashion their spaces to suit different phases of life, and it can be a challenge to figure out best usage and how to make it all work. r vhomemaga zine .com 57

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Open floor plans have also created more need for flexible spaces. Lacking the builtin boundaries of walls means defining spaces with furnishings and creating nooks for things like reading, working or cocktails. Newer builds sometimes include a bonus room which can be assigned many different purposes.

Creative thinking is called for. Try to see your home with a fresh eye—a friend can be helpful here—and look for new ways to use a space that no longer suits your style.

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With telecommuting increasingly common, many homeowners find themselves in need of a work area.

Luckily, this is one of the easiest spaces to create; pretty much any nook in your home can house a small desk and chair if needed, and many rooms can double up as office space with the right layout and furnishings.

If you do as I did and make an office in your bedroom, it’s a good idea to create some separation between work space and relaxation space. It’s hard to unwind at night looking at messy stacks of paperwork and to-do items, so be sure to have drawers or stylish organizational gear to keep things reasonably serene.

Make use of any room angles or dormers to further separate your zones.

If you have a walk-in closet, you might find room in there for a small office space (my friend who did this calls hers the “cloffice”). This probably only works if there’s a window in the closet, unless you work well with a panic room vibe, but the upside is that when your work is done, you can close the door and it’s out of sight, out of mind.

Kitchens sometimes have an area of cabinetry for things like charging stations and electronics, mail and paperwork. This might be a good spot for homework, or for work if you’re alone in the house during the day, but because the kitchen is a hub of activity, beware of using it for anything that requires quiet concentration. Plus, it’s awfully close to the fridge.

For those with a great room, there might be a place there for a writing desk and chair. Spacious landings you’re not sure what to do with can be the perfect spot for an office setup. Even a formal dining room that doesn’t see much use can be remade into an office, complete with bookshelves, filing cabinets, and R o a n o ke Va l l e y H O M E S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

a printer if needed. Plus, if you need to conduct in-person meetings, a repurposed dining room is often near the front door, allowing you to usher clients directly into your office without giving them a tour of your home en route.

Older homes might have a detached garage. An interior designer friend of mine divided hers into storage on one side and an inviting office on the other, complete with tile floors, windows, swatch

and mood board areas, plus a comfy sofa across from her desk. If that’s more work than you had in mind, my favorite spot to create an office is in a sunroom. The windows and natural light make it an appealing location. Bonus points if there are interior French doors you can close!

And of course, there’s that classic combo, the guest room/office.

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DAYBEDS

flexible, fashionable furnishings

BY KATE ERICSSON Making a splash in the design world today, a daybed offers great flexibility when outfitting a space, and is prized for the functionality it offers. As a sofa/bed combo, a daybed is a smart solution to small-space living, but can lend an interesting element to a room or porch in any home.

Daybeds are recognizably different from typical beds in that the headboard—if there is one—extends along one long side rather than at the head. Daybeds are traditionally the size of a twin bed and require no boxspring. They can also house storage space underneath. Backless, bench-style daybeds are another chic option, inspired by the iconic Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Barcelona couch of 1930.

Incorporated into a large living room, a daybed can break up the space into separate conversation areas, or anchor the room.

A daybed backed up against a window provides a place to pause and gaze out at the world. In a home office, a daybed offers a place of rest and sanctuary from the grind of the work day.

Kathy Potts of Decorating Den Interiors in Lynchburg uses daybeds in rooms that have multiple purposes, such as offices and guest rooms. “A daybed with a trundle would allow for two guests to have a place to sleep without taking up as much room as a bed,” she says.

“I can also see the newer styles doubling as a sofa in a living room.” Daybeds are also a fun option for children’s rooms, providing the perfect solution for sleepovers.

Daybeds are great accents for porches and decks as well. Wicker or rattan are the best materials for these spaces. They offer a place to relax and perhaps enjoy an al fresco nap. With canopies, they can provide shelter from the elements. For outdoor daybeds, it is best to use allweather cushions and pillows.

Colby Rorer at Better Sofas in Roanoke says that custom designed daybeds are popular right now. “People are using them not only in kids’ rooms but in sunrooms and studies,” he says. Better Sofas offers a custom option program where you can choose a shape, design and color ranging from highly decorative with cascading arms to more functional with storage or a trundle bed. He says daybeds are easy canvases to embellish with an array of pillows, throws and custom headboard options. He calls the piece an investment, with some designs running around $2,000. “The skill of a designer often comes into play when choosing styles, fabrics and pillows,” he says.

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Guest space

While some homes are lucky enough to have dedicated guest bedrooms, many guest quarters pull double duty, sometimes in tandem with a hobby or music room, but more frequently with the home office.

The main concern is usually having enough space for both guests and business. If you can fit a king or queen bed, bedside table, desk and shelving all in one spot, you’re all set. If not, it’s time to get creative. Sofa beds are an obvious option, but don’t forget about that notorious middle support bar. Your guests will thank you for a plush mattress topper. Murphy beds provide a comfortable night’s sleep while folding up out of the way when not needed. Alternatively, a daybed with trundle can double as sitting space when not needed for visitors.

Depending on who your guests are, bunk beds can work.

Obviously, these are a great option for vacation homes and kid-friendly visits, but Great-Aunt Mildred might not enjoy clambering to the top bunk every night.

When the guest room is also the office, you’ll want to have a way to close up shop when guests are there: armoires, a converted closet, stylish covered bins—anything that keeps business out of sight when needed.

Kid space

Children’s bedrooms require a lot of flexibility. Transitioning from nursery to elementary to teen to graduate works best when you purchase with a plan. Obviously a crib will only take you so far, but many of them transition into toddler beds and then headboards, which buy you more time. A chest of drawers topped with a sturdy changing pad will last longer than a traditional changing table. Choose neutral basics for the big pieces and saved themed decor for easily swapped accessories like throw pillows and bedding. A set of wall-mounted picture frames can be filled with images of your child’s current favorites (animals, cartoons, athletes, bands, etc.) and updated as tastes change. Cherished stuffed toys can be stored in chests or bins, out of sight until ready for a cuddle.

Basements are often used as kid space. In the early years it can be a play zone, with open floor space for romping or pillow forts, and room for things like toy lawnmowers and kitchens that don’t fit upstairs. School-age children might enjoy a craft area or need some space for activities such as reading, homework or music practice. A media zone for movies and video games appeals R o a n o ke Va l l e y H O M E S u m m e r 2 0 2 0

to older kids, especially when there’s room for friends. If you have enough space, you can divide the basement into zones for games, studying and socializing.

Gym space

Speaking of the basement, it’s also a popular spot for workouts. Whether finished or unfinished, a basement works well for exercise because it’s generally cooler and out of the way. In an unfinished basement, it’s a good idea to put down some rubber flooring mats or tiles for a bit of cushion from the concrete. A large mirror is handy for yoga or free weights to check your form. Even though it’s a utilitarian space, adding a piece of art, nice lighting, or a stylish area rug helps make it more inviting.

Likewise, your garage might have room for a home gym area. This is usually a no-frills arrangement which may or may not have climate control, but can still be outfitted with all the essentials required to work up a sweat.

Hobby space

Who wouldn’t like a dedicated area to indulge in a hobby? Whether you’re fortunate enough to have a whole room, or have to make do with a creative corner, having a hobby or craft space is a delightful perk if you can swing it. A walk-up

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attic can be a great spot if there’s enough light.

Oftentimes formal dining rooms are pressed into service when not used for holidays or dinner parties. Perhaps a sideboard or built-in shelves can house supplies. Maybe a guest room can double as a sewing, music or painting room. Instruments can hang on the wall, pegboards and wall-mounted shelving can hold tools, and craft materials can be stored in bureaus or closets. In most instances the main feature you’ll need is a decent work table, so start there and see where one might fit. This is one of those indulgent spaces that, while not strictly necessary, can make life decidedly more enjoyable.

Age in place

When thinking about flexible spaces, don’t forget to consider the future as well as the present. Aging in place has become an increasingly popular option for seniors, and it’s often possible to turn a current family home into an age-in-place residence.

Ranch-style homes are already well-suited to aging in place, and may need only some details such as wide, flat doorway thresholds (in case mobility assists such as walkers are ever needed), an exterior ramp, and a few accessibility updates to bathroom showers and tubs.

Multi-story dwellings can be reconfigured so that all necessary components are groundfloor accessible. Upper levels and basements are

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reserved for family visitors and storage, while the main floor is redesigned for single-level living.

One way this is done is by converting a formal living room into a groundfloor master suite, while retaining a family room or den for living space.

Any other ground floor room can be repurposed if necessary, and if there’s no downstairs bathroom, there might be room to add one near the kitchen. Pantries, laundry rooms and utility spaces all offer possibilities for carving out the needed space.

Flexible furniture

Versatile and repurposed furniture can be invaluable in achieving your flexible space. In a great room, consider using a bookshelf as a space divider. Bookshelves also work well as a bar area, in addition to their capacity for craft or office supplies.

Closets are another multifunctional element that can be turned into an office space or craft zone. A closet near the kitchen can function as a china closet or, as in our case, a pantry when we realized

we’d bought a home without one.

Simply install shelves and cubbies that fit your purpose, either yourself or through a local closet organizer shop.

Armoires are another useful item that can house anything from an entertainment center to a work desk to clothes to spare linens. Dining room and kitchen banquettes often have concealed storage which can house seasonal dishware, table linens or small kitchen appliances. In our case it hides gifts; my children have sat on their own birthday and Christmas gifts for years without realizing it.

In addition to foldaway beds like Murphy beds and sofa beds, storage beds with drawers beneath can house supplies in multipurpose rooms.

Whatever changes you want to make, with a little ingenuity, a good layout, and the right furnishings, you can create spaces to suit both necessity and enjoyment. No matter what your stage of life, a home that evolves with you will serve you well. ✦

Furniture for Life.

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GARDEN zinnias

summer bouquet

LET ZINNIAS WORK MAGIC IN YOUR GARDEN

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K AT H E R I N E F U LG H U M K N O P F

olorful and tall, zinnias stand out in the garden during hot summer months. Discovered in the late 18th century in a Mexican desert by German botanist Dr. Johann Gottfried Zinn, zinnias quickly became all the rage in American and European gardens. Easy to grow, these versatile flowers bloom from early summer until late fall, and add a fun note of color in your flower beds or the vegetable garden.

ZINNIAS ARE AN ANNUAL, BUT IF YOU DON’T DEADHEAD THE LAST FLOWER HEADS WHEN WINTER FREEZE KILLS THEM, THEY WILL RESEED IN SPRING. YOU CAN COLLECT DRIED ZINNIA HEADS AND SAVE THEM IN PAPER BAGS IF YOU PREFER TO SET ASIDE YOUR OWN SEEDS EACH YEAR TO SOW IN NEXT YEAR’S GARDEN. 6 4

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How to grow

Zinnias are wonderful bloomers. They provide flowers for cutting bouquets and attract beneficial garden insects all season long. Zinnias can be grown in pots on your deck, but prefer to be in the ground where they have space and can wander.

When planted closely together, zinnias grow straighter, taller and yield more blooms. The more you cut, the more they produce, so your garden always provides plenty of blossoms to share.

Zinnias are an annual, but if you don’t deadhead the last flower heads when winter freeze kills them, they will reseed in spring. You can collect dried zinnia heads and save them in paper bags if you prefer to set aside your own seeds each year to sow in next year’s garden. Either way, zinnias will grace your garden for your enjoyment once those buds pop in late spring.

Which variety to plant depends upon your garden and flower-arranging criteria.

There are so many collections and each has their own strengths. Profusion, Cut and Come Again, State Fair and Benary Giant are great for big cutting gardens and are resistant to powdery mildew; Lilliput, Whirligig and Zowie Zinnias attract butterflies and wildlife. For dwarf hybrids, the Peter Pan series grows only 12 inches high and allows placement in smaller gardens and containers. Grow the Ruffle varieties for cutting; they tender lots of blooms in a variety of shades.

Zinnias look good and grow well with daisies, Black-eyed Susans, and plants in the mum family. Zinnias positioned in the back of a bed—tall varieties grow from 2 to 4 feet tall—with marigolds and petunias in front make a beautiful cottage garden. For an open field or large, wide flower bed, try planting zinnias with Mexican sunflower, spider flower and native ornamental grasses to create a thick array of color and texture.

Dahlias, Queen Anne’s Lace and zinnias fashion a soothing expanse of calm; the combination of these three densely planted can block the view of unsightly areas like the compost bin or trash cans. Dwarf zinnia plants work well in containers since they range from 10 to 14 inches tall.

When you plant zinnias in a vegetable garden, place them in the same area as the tomatoes and peppers; they like similar temperature and light. Zinnias love lots of sunlight, fertile soil and dry rather than r vhomemaga zine .com 65

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constantly wet ground. They do need a good drink of water to get them through a hot summer day, so check to make sure they are not too dry or they will wilt. Zinnias are susceptible to powdery mildew, so water only the soil below the leaf line; wet leaves encourage powdery mildew to attack. If your plant gets the disease, pull it out quickly and discard it in the trash. Don’t put it in the compost.

Attracting pollinators

Zinnias bring activity to your yard. Bees love them and monarch butterflies will visit your garden for their nectar on their way south in the fall. Because there are so many varieties of this flower, with different petals and unusual center designs, they never look the same. This diversity appeals to the wildlife as well as to the humans that roam your yard.

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Bringing blooms inside

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Zinnia blooms are strong and lasting, but their stems are hollow; cut them

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carefully so they won’t bend or break.

Bring a bucket of cool water to place them in so they stay fresh until you get inside to arrange. Since they bloom until frost, they are worth the money and care; they reward you by being the last flowers in the garden, meaning you’ll always have a bouquet on hand.

Many gardeners sow more zinnias by seed in mid-summer for early fall blooms.

You will also find them potted and ready to plant at your favorite garden store. Whichever one you choose, you will want to plant more next year; these vivid beauties have a way of popping in your thoughts every time you sit down to plan a garden. Gather a bunch to pose in a Mason jar for your picnic or place individual stems in a row of slender vases on your patio table. Zinnias are ready to take the stage when other flowers are fading from summer’s heat. ✦

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