The Tarrant Regional Water Districts newest trailhead gives a nod to Fort Worths military aviation history.
Two years ago, the water district paid to have a McDonnell-Douglas C-9 from Naval Air Station Fort Worth disassembled, keeping the wings and tail section to become the centerpiece of the park. The plane section has sat at the new trailhead, just outside the gates to the base on Pumphrey Drive, where the Trinity Trails now reach.
Airfield Falls, designed by Kevin Sloan Studio in Dallas, also gives the water district a unique opportunity to display native plants in a demonstration garden, showing Tarrant County residents how water conservation can work in their own yards and gardens.
The trailhead project has been in the works for more than three years, said Linda Christie, the districts community and government relations director.
The 2.5-acre site provided enough land to do a good-size project, she said. Its known as the place where folks have jumped the curb and parked cars on the grass for years to gain access to Tarrant Countys only natural waterfalls, along Farmers Branch Creek, fed by the Trinity River.
A couple of years ago, the district connected the site to the Trinity Trails, more than 40 miles of recreational trails along the Trinity River and its tributaries.
The trailhead is currently closed for construction. The $1.2 million project, which includes the cost to disassemble the plane, is scheduled to be completed next fall. It will have a 30-space parking lot, restrooms and picnic facilities.
This is the perfect spot for the gardens we wanted to do, Christie said. Its really an important and great educational project. Its a lot of pluses.
Westworth Village owns the property, but the water district has an interlocal agreement with the city to build and maintain the trailhead and trails there.
A large portion of the trailhead will focus on water conservation education, including the placement of four 5-by-5-foot educational signs highlighting sustainability features along the trail.
Features include landscaping and drip irrigation. The conservation garden will have a series of native plants and flowers, each specifically placed to meet its needs for sun or shade.
Beyond the garden, the parking area will use pervious paving to prevent storm water and pollutants from running off into the creek. It will also feature a water retention area that naturally filters storm water pollutants with vegetation.
A play area with Habiturf will be added. Habiturf is a mix of native grass species developed by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin as a durable low-maintenance grass that requires less water and mowing.
The aircraft will be rebuilt and mounted in an abstract manner on steel supports, and in a position to look like its taking flight. From the back of the plane, a sidewalk will wind to the trail, resembling a vapor trail. The original lights on the aircraft will be refurbished and used to light the monument when approached. Lighting will also be placed along the sidewalk.
Tom Struhs of with Struhs Commercial Construction is handling project construction.
Struhs, the developer behind the Trinity Uptown development on the north edge of downtown, said he was an avid model plane builder as a kid, so this project is right up his alley. He said hell have to work with steel tubing to make a fuselage and nose section.
Theres a lot of cleverness about the design, Struhs said.
According to military records, the C-9 was delivered to Iberia Airlines in 1972 and was flown commercially in Europe for 18 years. In 1990, it was sent back to McDonnell Douglas and converted for military use, providing Navy cargo and passenger transportation.
Afterward, it was delivered to NAS Memphis and was used there until about 1996, when it was decommissioned, eventually making its way to Fort Worth, where it was used for training. The Navy scapped it in September 2011, a few months after the water district approached the service about obtaining an aircraft for the Airfield Falls project.
(MCT) — You’re making your holiday shopping list and checking it twice, and here are some gift ideas for the gardeners – naughty or nice – in your life.
Best book
The new book “Gifts from the Garden” combines the beauty of the bounty with the skills of the crafter for the green-fingered DIYer who wants to make the most of harvests throughout the year. From the edible to the decorative, author Debora Robertson shows how to make a unique something for every occasion – potted bulbs in teacups, personalized seed packets, herbal teas, floral-scented lip balms and indulgent body scrubs. Using fruits, veggies and nuts, she shows how to make spice rubs and fresh pesto, chile jams and tomato chutneys – gifts from the heart of your kitchen. $24.95; www.amazon.com
Birdie treats
Give your best birding friends a basket of treats meant for their feathered friends. Fill a basket with a trio of special blends that include sunflower meats, peanuts, safflower and pecans or sunflower meats infused with fiery hot habanero chilies to keep the squirrels away. A nutberry blend combines all of nature’s best in one bag – fruits with insect suet kibbles and whole kernel sunflower meats. $12.99-$17.99 per 5-pound bag.
Or, stock a basket with a suet cake feeder and the cakes to go in it – $1.69-$1.99. Cole’s Wild Bird seeds and foods available at wildlife stores and garden centers; find a retailer at www.coleswildbird.com or 770-426-8882.
Gardenia goodness
No air freshener can compete with the sweet fragrance of a flowering gardenia. The Heavenly Scented Evergreen Gardenia brightens a room with its clear white blossoms, and comes in a golden sparkle ceramic container that’s about 7 inches tall and wide; plant care information is included, $59.95.
Jackson and Perkins; www.jacksonandperkins.com or 800-292-4769.
Classic wisdom
The 222nd edition of the 2014 Old Farmer’s Almanac entertains and inspires throughout the year. In addition to gardening tips and plant profiles, the periodical features pie recipes and then ideas on how to lose the pounds after eating all those homemade desserts, $6.99. The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids with magical pumpkins, towering beanstalks, Salsa princesses, buzzing hummingbirds, bug costumes and friendly farm animals, $9.95. Available at garden centers nationwide or www.almanac.com or 877-717-8924.
Wild wonderful
Cornell introduces young and old to the wonders of birding, including:
• “Cornell Guide to Bird Sounds: Master Set for North America.” This comprehensive guide features nearly 5,000 soundtracks for 735 North American bird species. Download includes MP3 sound files and photographs. $49.99, or get files pre-loaded on a flash drive, $64.99.
• “Cornell Guide to Bird Sounds: Essential Set for North America.” This set includes the most common sounds for 737 species in downloadable MP3 files, $12.99, or on a pre-loaded flash drive, $24.99.
– Cornell Lab Beginner Bird-watching Kit. This kit, available from Optics Planet, includes introductory binoculars recommended by lab staff, six months free access to a lab online bird ID course, and other great accessories, $199.
Available at www.birds.cornell.edu or 800-843-2573.
Easy does it
If flower-arranging makes you feel uneasy, the Easy Arranger removes all that anxiety. The elegant hand-woven wire grid is placed on top of a vase and gently pressed down around the outer edge. Each petal of the crown then serves as a compartment for a stem and guides the user to perfect placement. Add flowers between the wires to make flowers stay where you want them. The bendable, reusable and decorative grid in 5-, 6- and 8-inch diameter sizes, can be used over a variety of vases and other vessels. Holiday special, $6 from The Gardener’s Workshop; www.shoptgw.com or 888-977-7159.
Best weeder ever
Take out carpets of weeds in one swipe, using the Japanese hand hoe. Forged of high carbon steel, it maintains a sharp edge. Holiday special, $19.95, www.shoptgw.com or 888-977-7159.
Comfy, cute look
If the gardener on your list is a gal, Garden Girl USA’s trim-fitting gardening pants, $93.99, or capris, $89.99, might be the thing. Made of durable fabrics, with pockets galore, Garden Girl’s signature hip/waist stretch panels provide “give” in all the right places, making it easy to bend, lug, haul, squat or crawl through typical days in the garden. They’re also ideal for comfort when hiking, dog-walking, tending toddlers, cleaning, or bopping around town. Floral-patterned Wellington boots, $85.99, complete the look; www.GardenGirlUSA.com or 866-610-5459.
Rosy dreams
Treat your special gardening friend to a David Austin gift voucher. Request that the confirmation, complete with 120-page “Handbooks of Roses” catalog, come straight to you for gift-giving. The roses will be shipped in spring at the right time for planting as bare rootstock. Two beauties to ponder: Munstead Wood, a deep crimson rose, $27.95 each or three for $71.25, and yellow climber Golden Celebration, $25.99 each or three for $66. www.DavidAustinRoses.com or 800-328-8893.
Tweet time
Watching wild birds from the window is especially sweet in winter. For close encounters with interesting birds of all kinds, consider The Winner Multi-Purpose Window Feeder, $35.99, which attaches to the outside of windows with three suction cup mounts and holds up to ½ pound of seed, suet or fruit. Another possibility is Dorothy’s Cardinal Feeder, $59.99, designed to attach to a post or a hook; this 13-inch feeder is topped by a height-adjustable, 15-inch clear-view dome that protects birds and feed from weather, while warding off unwanted larger birds. www.DrollYankees.com or 800-352-9164.
Space saver
Easy access to organized gear is the dream of every gardener, athlete, outdoor enthusiast or homeowner with too little space. Boulder-based Studio-Shed.com offers pre-fabricated single room structures designed for use as garden sheds and storage, as well as backyard home offices, art and music studios and more. Cost for an 8-by-10 Studio Shed storage model with unfinished interior and block/metal siding starts at $6,300, plus installation and shipping, starting at $900 each. Less expensive Small Shed DIY Kits are also available.www.Studio-Shed.com or 888-900-3933.
Hand tool sets
The Gardeners Hand Tool Gift Set from Joseph Bentley contains the small tools that are used most often by gardeners of all skills – trowel, transplanting trowel and hand fork. All three tools have carefully finished solid oak wooden handles and polished stainless steel heads. The tools are presented in a wooden seed box and nestled in shaved wood, $39.99 in gardening stores and at HomeDepot.com, Amazon.com and Sears.com.
Cam time
The new WildlifeCam takes up-close and personal photos of the four-legged wildlife – and winged wildlife, too – that visit your yard. The motion-activated camera, high-resolution, 8-megapixel digital photos capture candid moments of wildlife in stunning, full-color detail. The built-in flash makes it possible to take photos of animals in low light – or even capture nighttime visitors such as raccoons, deer and other wildlife in the dark. In addition to the single photo mode, the cam can also make digital videos with sound, $99.95 at wildlife stores and at www.Wingscapes.com or 888-811-9464.
Stylish composter
The Green Cycler is a clean, odorless kitchen countertop solution that turns kitchen scraps into ‘black gold’ for the garden in a matter of days rather than weeks and months, $99-$139. www.thegreencycler.com or 855-432-6866.
Hummer heaven
Hummingbirds are territorial and will use this swing, with a shimmering copper finish, as a perch to watch over their food source, according to birding experts. Simply place this swing near feeders and enjoy watching them sit and swing. The red glass bead attracts hummingbirds, $16.99. National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf.org or 800-822-9919.
Holiday happiness
The bird seed wreath is perfect as a holiday treat for backyard birds. Made with black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, colored safflower and red millet, this 8 ½-inch wreath weighs a hearty 2¼ pounds, $19.99. National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf.org or 800-822-9919.
Welcome everyone
Welcome friends and family to your garden with a whimsical “Welcome to my garden” plaque. Handcrafted from 100 percent recycled aluminum and made in the USA, the sign measures 12 inches wide and 7 inches tall, ground stake included; two to four weeks for delivery, $39.99. National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf.org or 800-822-9919.
Upclose and personal
Get to know your feathered neighbors from inches away. Watch the birds as they build their nest and raise their young. Clear panel provides a great view and slides out for easy cleaning. Easily attaches, with suction cups, to the outside of a window. Made with natural cedar, rust-resistant hardware and heavy plexiglass, USA made, $21.99. National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf.org or 800-822-9919.
Fine feeder
Turn your fruit feeder into a piece of artwork for your backyard. This heavyweight feeder holds 2 fruits, such as apples, and gives the birds a place to perch. Made of long-lasting beautiful copper, $29.99. National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf.org or 800-822-9919.
Mason jar magic
Reminiscent of the vintage blue glass canning jars used in the 1800s, the Perky-Pet Mason Jar Collection brings rustic chic to any outdoor space. The three styles include a wild bird feeder, hummingbird feeder and wild bird waterer, $17.95-$19.95. www.birdfeeders.com or 855-PERKY-PET.
DIY goodie
Got kids or DIYers in the mix? Give them an ‘experience’ with NativeCast’s DIY planter kits. This eco-concrete container is perfect for crafters, DIY lovers, party favors, crafty kids, and stocking stuffers. The kit includes NativeCast’s custom eco-concrete mix, a mold, organic potting soil, and herb seeds, $15-$35 and up www.nativecast.com.
Living art
Topiaries created with moss and succulents are living art that delights anyone who loves animals and wildlife. From a life-size bull frog to a full-size giraffe, Gardens by Teresa in Yorktown, Va., can create it. Her online gardening shop also features handcrafted wire topiary frames that look nice on their own; custom topiary orders accepted.www.gardensbyteresa.com or 757-532-0080.
Many restaurants are expected to follow suit because of a new Internal Revenue Service ruling that treats automatic gratuities as wages.
That could lead to higher payroll taxes for restaurants and make record-keeping for the restaurants more complicated.
Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill and Tony Roma’s, which bases its operations in Orlando, have done away with automatic tips as well.
Other Orlando-based chains, including Buca di Beppo, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House, did not respond to questions about automatic gratuities.
Dunkin’ Donuts tests program
Orlando is one of four markets in the country to test an enhanced Dunkin’ Donuts loyalty program, which the doughnut chain will launch nationally early next year.
Customers can earn five points for every dollar they spend on qualifying purchases, when they pay using a Dunkin’ Donuts card or with a mobile app. Customers who accrue 200 points receive coupons for free medium beverages.
Also, Dunkin’ Donuts recently opened a location in Phillips Crossing at 8015 Turkey Lake Road, with a look that is new for the doughnut chain.
The store has outdoor patio seating and orange pendant lamps. It also has a new digital menu board system comprised of four LCD monitors, free Wifi, and TV sets.
More cupcake shops opening
B Cupcakes has opened at 127 W. Fairbanks Ave. in Winter Park. It has a milk bar. Customers can wash down their cupcakes with regular, soy and almond milks, along with flavors that include Irish cream, toasted marshmallow, vanilla, gingerbread, chocolate mint, white chocolate and salted caramel.
A 12-ounce serving of milk ranges from $1.50 to $3.
Meanwhile, Sugar Divas Cakery LLC – another cupcake baker – plans to open in SoDo in January. NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new agreement for 1,370 square feet of space in the center at 25 W. Crystal Lake St. Sugar Divas will have a café and cake decorating classes.
Orlando gets first East Coast Wings
East Coast Wings Grill, a North Carolina-based casual dining restaurant chain known for its 75 varieties of award-winning buffalo-style wings, opened its first Florida restaurant this month at 588 S. Alafaya Trail in Orlando.
The new restaurant is the first location owned by NBA basketball player Quentin Richardson, a former member of the Orlando Magic.
this winter and early spring, such as peach, apple, pear, plum, fig, blueberry, grape and nectarine, you must choose types and cultivars adapted to our mild winter climate. Contact your local LSU AgCenter Extension office for a free copy of “Louisiana Home Orchard,” or click here for the online version.
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When planting hardy fruit trees this winter and early spring, such as peach, apple, pear, plum, fig, blueberry, grape and nectarine, you must choose types and cultivars adapted to our mild winter climate. Contact your local LSU AgCenter Extension office for a free copy of “Louisiana Home Orchard,” or click here for the online version.
Keep garden beds free from weeds. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch will prevent most cool-season weed seeds from sprouting. It’s more effective to keep weeds under control with regular efforts than to try to correct a situation that has gotten out of control due to inattention.
After your holiday cactus plant stops blooming, don’t forget to move it into a sunny window for the rest of the winter. Keep it evenly moist but not constantly wet as this promotes root rot.
As we move into the coldest part of the winter, don’t forget to keep materials handy to cover tender plants in the landscape during freezes.
Bare-root roses become available area garden centers in January. These should be planted by February while they are still dormant. Plant them into well prepared, sunny beds with excellent drainage.
Though they should have already been planted by now, you can plant spring flowering bulbs, like Leucojum, Ipheion, Anemone, Narcissus, Zephyranthes, Ranunculus, Ornithogalum, daffodils and Spanish bluebells, and still expect good results.
Why are my garlic cloves brown? I grow it from certified disease-free heads and rotate the garlic to avoid disease.
We see from your photo that you’ve cut off the stem and roots. We suspect the garlic is not curing sufficiently before you store it. When you harvest, air-dry the garlic out of doors, out of direct sun, with the leaves, stems, and roots intact, for one to two weeks. Store retaining at least 4-6 inches of the stem and also the root. You can tie them into bunches to hang in your basement and have garlic all winter. See our website vegetable profile on garlic for more tips.
Is it safe to burn wood that had poison ivy on it after the bark has been removed?
Related
Garden QA Archive
Plant of the week
As you are obviously aware, all of the residual plant tissue from the dead poison ivy retains the toxin. This raises an interesting question concerning the remaining root material that was clinging to the tree’s bark. It seems quite possible that there could be some toxin remaining in the bark of the tree. However, if the bark has been removed from the host tree, there should be no danger of toxic fumes from the poison ivy.
University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information. Call 800-342-2507 or send a question to the website at extension.umd.edu/hgic.
Plant of the week
Golden Stars or Lady Fingers cactus
Mammillaria elongata
A plant for people who tend to kill plants, Golden Stars cactus requires little watering and accepts a variety of light levels. Three to four hours of direct sunlight is optimal, though all but a north window should work. Water sparingly; more sparingly in winter. In summer, it enjoys a stint outdoors yet can take temperatures down to 40 degrees. It also flowers easily. The yellowy recurved spines allow Golden Stars to be a safe cactus for homes with curious little fingers. A native of Mexico, this 6-inch cactus pops out offsets from the base. These can be removed to start new plants. —Ellen Nibali
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HERSHEY — Hershey Gardens and Ames True Temper have created the Garden Design Scholarship Competition for students in grades 10 through 12 who are homeschooled or enrolled in a public, private or vocational-technical school in the following counties: Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder and York.
The Garden Design Scholarship Competition is being offered in an effort to provide an educational and career development competitive exercise for students who are interested in gardening, horticulture, landscape architecture, the arts and the development of public gardens as a community resource.
The deadline for registering is Jan. 17, 2014, and design entries must be submitted by March 14, 2014. Additional details, submission requirements and a downloadable registration form can be found at hersheygardens.org. Individuals or schools may also call (717) 508-5968.
The design team awarded first place will receive $1,200 and work with Hershey Gardens staff to install their winning design at Hershey Gardens. Each member of the winning design team will also receive a one-year membership to Hershey Gardens. Designs may be submitted by one student or teams of up to four students. Second- and third-place awards will also be given.
In recent weeks, I’ve offered several ideas about pot combinations, and have talked a little about design within the pots. However, I have not yet discussed the basics of container design.
There are three basic principles when you are combining plants within a container: You need a vertical element, a mass or featured element, and filler elements, which might be cascading.
I always think of the vertical plant as one that provides the stature or structural backbone. The upright plant will be the tallest in the pot, of course. I often use a perennial, but some tall annuals can work as well. This plant is at the back or at the center of the pot, depending on your focal points.
Speaking of the focal point: The mass or featured plants should be placed at that focal point. They are what draws the eye to the pot, either with strong flower color or foliage; you want large flowers or leaves to make a bold statement.
Filler or trailing plants finish the look off, generally in the front of the pot and/or on the sides. I love to find successful trailing plants that cascade over the pot, covering it to some degree. If the trailing plants have flowers, you want them to be of a smaller size and in contrast to the focal-plant colors and texture.
If you only have 20 minutes in your desert potted garden this week: If you have petunias, the long growth period can make them leggy. Cut them back to where you see new growth, and they will last nicely for another two to three months!
Marylee is the founder and former owner of The Contained Gardener in Tucson, Ariz. She has become known as the Desert’s Potted Garden Expert. E-mail her with comments and questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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AL FRESCO DINING: Some of the Streat Kitchen cart’s first customers tuck into lunch served up in a vacant lot between buildings in Bridge St.
The vacant site where a building was demolished on Bridge St is taking on new life with a plan to turn it into a street food hub and lunchtime park.
It has started with Streat Kitchen, run by chef Michael McMeeken and his partner Tami Mansfield, who have plans for others to join them.
The idea has been inspired by a visit to Ms Mansfield’s hometown Portland in Oregon where the city centre has food cart villages.
”They have 60 food carts lined up side by side, taking up one and a half city blocks. It was incredible seeing on Monday lunchtime the footpaths packed with people just for the food carts.”
”They had every type of food – French, Egyptian, fish and chips, dumplings. The most popular was for a cart that sold just one item, a Mexican salad with some secret sauce,” said Mr McMeeken.
They also found ”cart pods”, usually in a little car park or a section of land, some with six food stalls, others up to 20, including a beer cart.
”They had put in a bit more effort, had a few tables and a bit of landscaping, and that’s what I’m hoping to achieve here,” he said.
The Bridge St site now has the rough ground covered in a floor of crushed mussel shells and customers sit on blue chairs around cable reel tables.
The Streat Kitchen is fitted out with a professional kitchen and Mr McMeeken cooks each dish fresh, offering a fish, meat or vegetarian option daily.
He has worked in top overseas restaurants for 10 years, including for Gordon Ramsey and Marcus Wareing in London and Thomas Keller in New York.
In Nelson he worked at the Boat Shed Cafe, and now with his Streat Kitchen he wants to provide restaurant-style food in a street takeaway environment.
”There are a lot of food carts doing sushi and baked potatoes but nobody is doing restaurant-style food to order. That’s what my training is in and it’s possible to do it fast.”
On his first day he was searing pork with beans and pickled onions, serving orange roughy with crushed peas, mint, and new potatoes, and his vegetarian dish was Romano’s tomatoes with basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella.
Customer Bob Berry said: ”I’m surprised to have this quality food without the bricks and mortar (of a restaurant).”
Next month a Filipino food cart will be the first of others to join the site.
Mr McMeeken has a vision for the site to become eco-friendly, including using solar power, and seasonal local produce.
His ideas for using the site by coincidence were similar to those of Nelson architect Rachel Dodd, of Arthouse Architecture.
She had approached the site owner, Brian Jones, with the idea of creating a portable pocket park, and he put the two in contact with one another.
”We had similar visions to create something special in the heart of Nelson,” said Ms Dodd, who is also a trustee of the City of Nelson Civic Trust.
The trust has provided some seed funding for tables, trees and planters, and everything must be mobile so it can be moved to other sites.
”People are concerned that there will be other buildings coming down. It’s important that the people of Nelson can see empty spaces being used in a positive way and putting life back into the city,” she said.
Her idea to use the empty site came about through wanting an outdoor place to eat her lunch, and hopes other city workers will use it, even if they bring along their own lunch.
Funds to develop the set up are also being raised through PledgeMe.
“As a whole, I can say how proud I am that we have so many smart and capable county employees that are full of ideas and can take the ball and run with,” he continued. “We’ve allowed them to do that and I think we are seeing a lot of (benefits) in not only the dollars, but the morale of the employees.”
One of the things Brock has said he is most proud of during his tenure on the board is the restoration project done on the Jasper County Courthouse. A remodeled basement and the instillation of geothermal heating and cooling were among some of the new features.
Brock is also proud that this current board doesn’t just pass the budget based on a year by year basis, but prefers to look at trajectories for 10 to 15 years in the future to ensure that the county is in good shape long after they are out of office.
Just like board chairman Dennis Stevenson, Brock works comes in multiple days a week to check in on the goings on within the county and serves on a number of other boards and committees.
On a day in which he and the other members of the board have already met and approved a number of items, Brock took a look the snowy grounds behind the care facility as he tries to think of a simple answer to a complicated question:
What is the typical day like as member of the board of supervisors?
“I don’t know if there is such a thing,” Brock said. “It’s really nothing typical about it. One day you’re on geothermal, trying to educate yourself and make a decision on that, and the next day its mental health reorganization and the next day it could be building a demolition out at the county home.”
“There’s nothing real typical about it, and it seems like you need to know a little about a lot,” he finished.
Staff writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 426, or at trushing@newtondailynews.com.
