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HOMEFINDER: Tidy grounds make a good first impression

Green, freshly cut grass, healthy plants or flowers and generally tidy grounds go a long way when it comes to selling your home.

Says Victoria Real Estate Board president Tim Ayres, typically not one to trot out clichés, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

The state of a home’s outside property is literally the first thing people notice when they arrive for a showing or a drive-by viewing.

“You can probably get a pass on your landscaping in the winter, but once spring and summer come, everybody notices. It’s a big deal to have a nice-looking property,” Ayres says.

In terms of bang for the buck, spending $200 to $300 on bark mulch and potted plants can be one of the best investments a home seller can make to spruce up their lot, he adds.

Niki Ottosen, owner of Gardener for Hire and a certified horticulturist, often gets phone calls from homeowners or real estate agents looking for help tidying up homes before they’re put on the market.

“They want a quick cleanup and they want ideas on how to make it look good before they take pictures,” she says.

For simple freshen-ups, she advises clients to redefine the edges of garden beds, spend some time weeding and add some bark mulch to gardens or around plants. “It adds curb appeal and shows people that you take care of your place.”

With people living busy lives and spending precious spare time on things they enjoy more, not everyone will be interested or motivated to go to town on their yard, Ottosen says.

“What I find is a lot of people find gardening overwhelming. They’re OK doing painting and stuff, but when it comes to gardening (it seems like) a lot of work. It’s hard work and if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and double your workload. But with a few little trade secrets it can make your work easier.”

Some homeowners don’t know how to get started so they don’t want to get started, she says. “We do know the short cuts and know how to do it really fast. And after, people are very thankful for the help.”

That fact – not to mention Greater Victoria’s mild climate – has helped the local residential and commercial gardening and landscaping industry blossom in recent years.

Ayres, an admitted “non-gardener,” has a go-to landscaper he works with on a regular basis for situations where the homeowner may not wish to tackle the job, or on vacated properties for sale that need to be maintained.

While a neat and tidy lot is a must, there’s a fine line between having a nice garden and one that looks like way too much work, he says. “Having too elaborate a garden might turn some people off. But you might also get someone who sees it as a real plus.”

Ottosen agrees.

“When they’re looking to buy a home, people look for what they have to do. If the gardening part of it is already done, it’s a weight off of them,” she says.

Ayres, the veteran Realtor, leaves home sellers with a simple plan:

“If you’re trying to sell your home this spring or summer, keep your lawn green. Use your watering days.”

ddescoteau@vicnews.com

Q: WHAT CAN I DO TO SPRUCE UP MY YARD WHEN SELLING MY HOME?

Scrub away the dirt – Clean moss-covered or stained pathways or concrete areas with a power washer, and use it on outside walls too, if not painting the house.

Freshen up the colour – Put a coat of paint on arbors, fences and gates and other wooden elements to cross that off the buyers’ to-do list

See your yard from the inside out – View sight lines to the garden and grounds from inside. Place tasteful garden art in prominent places near windows; perhaps colour-co-ordinate the item with interior decorations.

Stage your patio – Set outdoor tables with place mats, and attractive plates and flatware, as if guests were coming over.

SELLER’S TIP | Check the Better Business Bureau or chamber of commerce for qualified landscapers

GREATER VICTORIA MARKET UPDATE » COURTESY VICTORIA REAL ESTATE BOARD

» 714 / 659 — NET UNCONDITIONAL SALES MAY 2014 / MAY 2013

» 1,509 / 1,428 — NEW LISTINGS FOR MONTH, MAY 2014 / MAY 2013

» 4,672 / 4,783 — ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL LISTINGS PEAK MAY 2014 / MAY 2013

Tour of Mountainside Gardens

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Two of the six Mountainside Gardens on view during the June 7^th Tour of Mountainside Gardens are specially themed and staged for a Garden Wedding and a Tuscan Garden.

The Appletree Lane garden is in the backyard of a beautiful brand new home. It is newly landscaped by Harol Landscaping and the lush expansive lawn area will be staged and ready for a Garden Wedding. Featuring seating in front of a wedding arch and tables designed by Christoffers Florist, Millburn Florist and The Mountainside Restoration Committee, this yard is spectacular. Linda Condrillo will be on hand to show and sell her fantastic photo cards and prints – many of which are photos taken in our gardens.

On Rolling Rock Road, a garden which is owned by a florist becomes a tranquil Tuscan oasis. With a variety of Tuscan-inspired clay pots and urns planted with unique specimens, this poolside garden is reminiscent of the Italian countryside. Visitors to this lush and gracious garden will be calmed and inspired by its serene tranquility.

The six gardens on the Mountainside tour are located on Rolling Rock Road, Wood Valley Road, Stony Brook Lane, Appletree Lane, Meetinghouse Lane and Robin Hood Road. Each garden is uniquely themed and inspires guests with ideas for their own gardens. They can be visited in any order. Visitors are also encouraged to enjoy lunch at Mountainside’s Publick House restaurant whose management is generously donating the proceeds of lunch ticket sales back to the Mountainside Restoration Committee. The tour runs from 10am to 4pm.

Advance tickets for Mountainside’s Garden Tour are $45 for Tour and Lunch or $30 for Tour only and can be purchased online at mountainsidehistory.org or at Christoffers Flower Gift Shop located at 860 Mountain Avenue in Mountainside. Limited tickets will also be sold on the day of the tour at each Garden Tour location for $35 for tour and $15 for lunch.

All proceeds from the tour and lunch will be used by the Mountainside Restoration Committee for restoration and maintenance of the historic Hetfield and Levi Cory houses. The Mountainside Restoration Committee (aka, Mountainside Historical Committee) is a 501(c)(3) registered not-for-profit committee of volunteers governed by the Borough of Mountainside. Their purpose is to restore and maintain the Deacon Andrew Hetfield House and Levi Cory House and collect and save historic information and items from destruction. For further information, please call (908)789-9420; or, go to: www.mountainsidehistory.org

Field Trip: Wave Hill

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First Governors Island, and now the Bronx: Who knows where we’ll go next?

I visited Wave Hill about 20 years ago, when I was still in that phase where you think you need to explore every nook of the city. It didn’t make much of an impression, but then I was in my early 20s, when pretty views and nice landscaping tend not to be top of mind. Plus, my friends and I walked from the subway on a hot day, which was a grind.

Wave Hill runs shuttles from the subway and from Metro-North, I learned from the website, but Adam had just joined Zipcar and was dying to try it. So we picked up our car, named Jeanine and smelling like she’d been driven hard the night before, at a garage on Worth Street. We arrived at Wave Hill around 11 a.m., arriving just in time to avoid the overflow lot (which is free but involves a shuttle).

From the website: “Wave Hill is a 28-acre public garden and cultural center in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades. Its mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscapes, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.” What Wave Hill really does is foster intense envy—to have the stone house, with its incredible location! Chief among the pleasures of visiting is walking the grounds, imagining that you’re lord of the manor. That said, the house is nice but not grand in the Newport manner, and there’s no furniture, so your imagination gets quite the workout. And while I believe there is a garden (we kind of missed it), the landscaping is more park than garden. I don’t mean to diminish the place at all. It’s a relief, in may ways, not to have to always be looking at something in particular; instead you can enjoy it in general. There may be no lovelier place in New York City to sit and read.

We were drawn by a photography exhibit: Gregory Crewdson’s “Fireflies” series, which we’d only seen in a book. They’re exquisite pictures, especially for anyone who loves fireflies. (I’ve been enraptured by them since I saw my first one at age 25.) Knowing Crewdson tends to work big, we didn’t realize the actual images are the same size as the ones in our book. Still, there were a lot of images to admire, and I grabbed a promotional postcard to put over my computer. The other exhibit, Kristyna and Marek Milde’s “Hills and Valleys of the Sofa Wilderness,” involves a sofa and chair made to resemble the woodland floor.

We enjoyed a coffee on the café’s terrace, but Adam wasn’t feeling the café food—run by Great Performances, with an oddly limited menu on weekends (isn’t that when more people go?)—so we drove back south and ate at Co. in Chelsea. If I were to return to Wave Hill, I’d probably take a picnic. You’re not allowed to eat just anywhere—there’s a designated area with tables—but that’s OK; I’d rather sit at a table anyway. And I’d make sure to visit the shop: We only checked in at the start, and then we forgot to go back, which is too bad because it looked like it had worthy gifts.

You should probably go soon. Electronics company LG is about to ruin Wave Hill—and the Palisades in general—by building a 143-foot office tower across the river. As we wandered around, the specter of it loomed over the entire experience. What are they thinking? I will never buy an LG product.

Previous Field Trip posts:
• Governors Island
• F.D.R. Four Freedoms Park
• Litchfield County, Conn.
• One Wall Street
• Behind the Scenes at Grand Central Terminal
• The Howard/Crosby Microneighborhood
• Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• East River Ferry
• Museum of American Finance

Tips for high yields in a small or thirsty garden

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How can you get the most yield from a garden where space is limited, and water is, too?

Plant smart, and pay attention to the soil.

Your garden is only as good as your soil, says David Salman, chief horticulturist at High Country Gardens, a Santa Fe, New Mexico, catalog that specializes in native and low-water plants.

Find out what nutrients your soil has — and what its missing — with a soil test, available through local cooperative extension offices at a nominal fee (home soil-test kits are less reliable).

Encourage plant health by fertilizing with natural, organic fertilizers, which include fish emulsion and liquid seaweed, says Salman. Limit the use of chemical fertilizers because they dont help build the soil.

You will have more nutritionally complete vegetables if you have healthy soil, he promises.

One trick Salmon recommends, especially for gardeners living in new housing developments, is adding a soil inoculant called mycorrhiza, a beneficial fungi. Its found naturally in healthy soil, but often needs to be added to a new garden.

New gardens in new subdivisions, their soil is scraped off as part of construction, says Salman. You need to put beneficial fungi back in.

Peas, beans and soybeans could benefit from legume inoculants, which are species-specific (a soybean inoculant cannot be used to improve peas growth). Read product labels carefully or ask your gardening center for assistance.

Your beans will do OK (without it), but if you really want to crank out the beans, you can do that with the inoculant, says Salman. Its kind of a grandmas secret to growing great beans.

Plants that can offer high yields with low watering include leafy vegetables such as kale, lettuce and spinach; beans, snow peas and sugar snap peas; and some varieties of cucumbers and squash, he says. Plant vining beans and peas if you have space or can grow them up a fence or trellis; plant bush beans and peas in large pots if space is limited.

Sarah J. Browning, an extension educator for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, suggests planting radishes, carrots, peppers, zucchini and summer squash for summertime bounty. Peppers grow well in dry conditions, says Browning, and root crops dont need frequent watering.

Plant radishes early in the season or in part shade, and mulch them and other plants to retain moisture and combat weeds.

Browning recommends the cherry tomato cultivar Sun Gold and the slicers Big Beef and Celebrity as great-tasting high producers. Also look for disease-resistant tomato varieties, which are easier to grow.

Browning refers tomato lovers to Pennsylvania State Universitys College of Agricultural Sciences Extensions Tomato Report 2011, which lists the best varieties in its tomato trials.

Melissa Ozawa, a features editor for gardening at Martha Stewart Living magazine, recommends growing okra and Swiss chard; both are heat- and drought-tolerant. Melons also can handle less water once established because of their deep root systems, she says.

Prolific, water-wise herbs include basil, oregano, parsley, thyme and rosemary, says Browning.

Salman offers space-saving planting tips for herbs: Plant lavender and oregano along the dryer edges of your garden, since theyre the most heat-tolerant, and plant Greek oregano and dill, plus annual herbs such as basil and cilantro, among the root vegetables.

Try growing perennials such as rosemary, English thyme, tarragon and lavender in your ornamental beds. They dont require your vegetable gardens mineral-rich soil, says Salman.

Drought-tolerant flower varieties include coneflowers, hummingbird mint, salvia and blanket flowers, according to Ozawa. Other cutting-garden winners are cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers and larkspur, says Salman.

Business help for IT student garden designers

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Local garden landscapers, Jamie Hurt Landscapes, stepped into the classroom to help Year 9 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) students to develop their own garden schemes.

This business-led approach helped students to complete the graphics unit of their ICT using graphic design software.

Students were challenged to work for a fictitious garden company called Dig-IT and to design the marketing materials to promote the business. They were further challenged to design their own garden which could be used on the company’s website.

The business owner, Jamie Hurt, explained to students the basics which needed to be thought through when designing a garden scheme. He explained about accurate measurement, listening to customer needs and making sure that the garden achieved everything required of it.

The students relished the opportunity that the gardening challenge gave to them and all students passed the unit with great results.

Students not only applied their newly-found graphics skills, they also learnt more about careers in landscape design and asked lots of questions about running their own business.

Jamie was delighted with the response of the students and has already said that he will be keen to work in this project again.

What’s Happening for June (UPDATED JUNE 4)

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TODAY

Red Cross blood drive: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Virginia College, on the Red Cross bloodmobile, 920 Cedar Lake Road, Biloxi. To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org. Sponsor code, VCBILOXI.

Summer Reading Programs: 10 a.m. Wednesdays thru July 9, St. Martin Public Library, 15004 Lemoyne Blvd., Details: 392-3250.

Mono-Printing on Clay: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, Ceramics Studio, 386 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Learn the art of transferring paintings to terra cotta clay and create wall hangings. Cost: $35. Ages 12 and older. Details: 374-5547.

Gulf Coast Symphony Guild luncheon: 11:30 a.m., Biloxi Yacht Club, 408 Beach Blvd. Installation of officers and presentation of Jean Capps Service Award. Details: 872-2936.

Overeaters Anonymous meeting: 1-2 p.m., Long Beach Library, meeting room, 209 Jeff Davis Ave. Meetings held every Wednesday. Details: 493-0539.

Summer Reading Programs: 2 p.m. Wednesdays thru July 9, Gautier Public Library, 2100 Library Lane. Details: 497-4531.

Gulfport-Biloxi Regional Airport Authority meeting: 2 p.m., third floor of the terminal.

Sons of the American Legion meeting: 5:30-6:30 p.m., 3824 Old Spanish Trail, Gautier. Details: 497-6422.

Canine Obedience: 6:30 p.m., D’Iberville Recreation Center, Kajja Road. Eight-week basic training class. Trainers have more than 30 years of specialization for any breed and size. Cost: $75 pre-entry, $90 first-class night. Details: 832-3320.

THURSDAY

Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce post-legislative session update: 8-9:30 a.m., Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi. Details: 604-0014.

Harrison County Utility Authority board meeting: 9 a.m., Intraplex Industrial Park, 10271 Express Dr., Gulfport.

Downtown Farmers Market Festival: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., under Interstate 110 overpass on Howard Avenue, Biloxi. Vegetable baskets, cookbooks and homemade goods. Details: 435-6339.

Summer Reading Programs: 10 a.m. Thursdays thru July 10, Ina Thompson Moss Point Library, 4119 Bellview St.. Details: 475-7462.

Literary Elements: 2 p.m., East Central Public Library. Theme: Authors, Arts and Literature. Featuring Linda Inman and Rita Johnson at the kickoff party. Details: 588-6263.

Summer Reading Programs: 2 p.m. Thursdays thru July 10, Pascagoula Public Library, 3214 Pascagoula. Details: 769-3060.

28th annual Coast Coliseum Summer Fair: 5-10 p.m. June 5, 5-11 p.m. June 6, 1-11 p.m. June 7, 1-10 p.m. June 8, 5-10 p.m. June 9, 5-10 p.m. June 10-12, 5-11 p.m. June 13, 1-11 p.m. June 14, 1-8:30 p.m. June 15, Mississippi Coast Coliseum, 2350 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Free admission every day for children under 12 and for adults Sunday-Thursday. Admission $5 on Fridays and Saturdays for ages 13 and older. Pay-one-price armbands for rides are $23, good for 5-10 p.m. weekdays, 1-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Live music and entertainment. Details: 594-3700.

Astronomy Zone: 5 p.m., St. Martin Public Library. Theme: Constellation Pendants. All materials provided. Details: 392-3250.

Think Like an Entrepreneur class: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Innovation Center, 1636 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi. Details/registration: 396-8661 or 392-9741.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy, Mon Bachelor/Bachelorette Showcase: 6 p.m., IP Casino Resort, Biloxi. Benefits Mental Health Association of Mississippi. Tickets: $30 each including hors d’oeuvres, drinks, raffles, auction and the Myles Sharp Band. Details: 864-6274.

Literary Feud: 6 p.m., Pascagoula Public Library. Details: 769-3060.

Long Beach Community Bicycle Ride: 6 p.m., Town Green, Jeff Davis and Third Street. Bring bike and helmet. Five-mile loop through city for all ages. Details; 297-7229.

Pharmacist from Burnhams: 6 p.m., Ina Thompson Moss Point Library, 4119 Bellview St. If interested in career in pharmacy, find out what it takes. Details: 475-7462.

American Legion Post 1992 executive committee meeting: 6-7 p.m., 3824 Old Spanish Trail, Gautier. Details: 497-6422.

Fourth annual Purple Knights Donors Banquet: 6:30 p.m., Pelican Landing Convention Center, 6217 Mississippi 613, Moss Point. Theme: Maintaining Success Through Perseverance. Keynote speaker: William Gervin. A social hour and silent auction will begin at 5:30 p.m. Cost: $40 for silent auction and dinner. Details: 206-3049.

Coast Big Band summer concert: 7:30 p.m., Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Features 25-piece band. Cost: $12.50. Details/tickets: coastbigband.com.

FRIDAY

Hurricane Hunters lecture series: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Biloxi Visitors Center, 1050 Beach Blvd. Hunters, based at Keesler Air Force Base, will highlight their experiences tracking hurricanes. Details: 377-2056.

Lights! Camera! Action!: 1-4 p.m., Pass Christian Public Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Teaches art of visual storytelling through film scripting, directing, shooting, video editing and screening processes for teenagers 13-18. Registration required. Details: 452-4596.

17th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic: scales open 3-8 p.m. June 6-7, Point Cadet Marina, Biloxi.

Blues and BBQ: 5-8 p.m., Marshall Park, Ocean Springs. Tickets: $20 each, for plate and entertainment by Band of Gold. Presented by Historic Ocean Springs Association to raise money for a new roof for old bandstand at center of the park. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. Tickets in advance at Foley Ransom’s Law Office, 912 Robinson Ave., near the park or by calling Herb Moore at 875-6995.

First Friday celebration: 5-8 p.m., downtown Biloxi, Water Street and Magnolia Arts District. Support local businesses and enjoy live entertainment and giveaways. Details: 435-6339.

Shrek Family Cooking class: 6-7:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Cost: $25 one parent and child, $5 additional child. Menu includes Swamp Slime. Details: 897-6039.

VFW Post 6731 steak dinner: 6-8 p.m., 4321 W. Gay Road, D’Iberville. Cost: $14. Details/to-go orders: 392-1152.

French Club Friday night dinner: 6-8 p.m., 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Cost: $8. Entertainment at 6:30 p.m. Details: 436-6472.

Joppa Shriners steak dinner: 6-8 p.m., Joppa Shrine Center, 13280 Shriners Blvd., Biloxi. Cost: $14 adults; children under 10 get free hotdog or hamburger and chips. Details: 392-9345.

American Legion Post 1992 roast pork or tilapia dinner: 6-8 p.m., 3824 Old Spanish Trail, Gautier. Cost: $8. Entertainment. Details: 497-6422.

Ocean Springs Elk Lodge 2501 fish/steak dinner: 6:30-8:30 p.m. 2501 Beachview Drive. Cost: $18 steak, $12 fish. Details: 872-2501.

Third annual Words and Music Community Culture Series concert: 7 p.m., Pass Christian City Hall Courtyard, 111 Hiern Ave. Featuring Pass Christian Community Orchestra. Bring lawn chair or blanket. Sponsored by Friends of Pass Christian Library. Details: 452-4596.

“The Oldest Profession”: 8 p.m. June 6-7, 2 p.m. June 8. Biloxi Little Theatre, 220 Lee St. Cost: $10. Tickets/details: 4blt.org or 432-8543.

“Dinner with Friends”: 8 p.m. June 6-7, 2 p.m. June 8, Bay St. Louis Little Theatre, 398 Blaize Ave. Cost: $14 adults; $10 seniors, veterans, military and students with ID; $6 children 12 and under. Details/reservations: 467-9024 or bsllt.org.

Friday night dance: 8-10 p.m. June 6, 13, 20, 27, Amour Danzar, 9355 County Farm Road, Gulfport. Cost: $10. Casual dress. Details: 324-3730.

Family movie night: 8:15 p.m., Beach Park, 600 City Park St., Pascagoula. Featuring “Grease.” Bring lawn chairs and blankets. Details: 990-1174.

SATURDAY

23rd annual Deborah Washington Memorial Soap Box Derby: 9 a.m., downtown Moss Point. Ages 8-17 race homemade engine-less cars. Sponsored by Chevron and the Black Employee’s Network at Chevron. Details: 990-7389.

Bunk bed building: 9 a.m.-noon, First Christian Church, 2111 15th St., Gulfport. Building project involves raising of money and donations to buy lumber to make bunk beds for children in foster care. Beds are built then delivered to families.

Mississippi Business Women Spring Meeting: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., noon lunch, Ocean Springs Library, 525 Dewey Ave. Details: 238-1529 or 826-1024.

Honoring our Veterans Car Show: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Biloxi VA Campus, near Buildings 53 and 15, 400 Veterans Ave. Co-sponsored by Mississippi Beach Cruisers and Biloxi VA’s Community and Public Affairs. Details: 392-6134.

Overeaters Anonymous meeting: 9:30-10:30 a.m., Hancock Medical Center, baby waiting room, 149 Drinkwater Road, Bay St. Louis. Meetings held every Saturday. Details: 493-0539.

Early childhood parenting program: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Moore Community House, 684 Walker St., Learn about pre-natal and newborn brain development, and get training. Details: 223-1983.

Red, White and Blueberry Festival: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., LN Depot Plaza, Ocean Springs. Presented by Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce-Main Street-Tourism Bureau. Details: 875-4424.

Ocean Springs Art and Antiques Market: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St. Browse handcrafted and fine art goods and tour the center. Details: 818-2878.

Community fair: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Hope Credit Union, 188 Porter Ave., Biloxi. Food, face painting, live entertainment, health screenings and more. Details: 374-1667.

Clay Babies preschool class: 10:30-11 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-noon, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, Ceramics Studio, 386 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Ages 2-7. Material fee: $10. Details: 374-5547.

Multicultural Fair: 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Biloxi Town Green. Informational booths, live entertainment, arts and crafts, ethnic foods and more. Details: 860-0913 or 236-7330.

Collage for a Cause: 1-4 p.m. June 7-8, Diamondhead Continuing Education Center. Participants will make two collages, one will be donated for fundraising. Instructor: Christina Richardson. Cost: $160, plus $25 supply fee. $25 deposit required. Details: 222-7018.

Landscaping lecture: 2-3 p.m., Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum, Picayune. Author Bob Brzuszek speaks on his new book, “A Sustainable Regional Landscape”. Cost: $5 nonmembers. Details: 601-799-2311.

Gulf Coast Stamp Club meeting: 2:30 p.m., St. Martin Library, LeMoyne Boulevard.

2014 Gulf Coast Baptist Training Union pageant: 5 p.m., Good Deeds Community Center, Gulfport. Young women representing local churches compete for Miss Congress title.

Ocean Springs Elk Lodge 2501 spaghetti dinner: 5-7:30 p.m. 2501 Beachview Drive. Cost: $10. Details: 872-2501.

Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence inaugural $3,000 drawdown: 6 p.m., Frank Gruich Sr. Community Center, 591 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Cost: $30. Event includes raffle, silent auction and music. Details: 436-3809.

Let’s Go to the Hop benefit: 7 p.m., IP Casino Resort third floor ballroom, 850 Bayview Ave., Biloxi. Tickets: $40 in advance, $50 at door. Proceeds benefit Gulf Coast Health Educators. Food, entertainment, silent auction, vacation raffle and more. Details: 324-3730 or 265-2197.

Jackson County Outstanding Citizen banquet: 7 p.m., Gautier First United Methodist Church, 2717 U.S. 90. Honoree: James Henry LeBatard. Sponsored by Gautier Civitan. Tickets: $35, available at The Flower Patch, 3204 Ladnier Road, Gautier. Details: 497-6210.

Dancing Under the Stars: 7-11 p.m., IP Casino Resort, Biloxi. Entertainment, swing contest, silent auction, food and chance to win a vacation. Ticket: $40 in advance, $50 door. Dance lesson available 30 minutes before event. Benefits Gulf Coast Health Educators. Details: 860-7530 or 265-2197.

Cabaret fundraiser: 8 p.m., Gulfport Little Theater, 2600 13th Ave. Cost: $10 adults, $5 ages 18 and under. Entertainment will include local performers. Benefits Children’s Miracle Network. Details: 806-7066.

Blues Bash annual fundraiser: 8-11 p.m., 100 Men Hall, 303 Union St., Bay St. Louis. Music by Guitar Bo Miss Dee, silent and live auctions, and presentation of the 100 Men Hall Visionary Award to the Leo Seal Family Foundation. Tickets: $60 per person includes reserved seats, hors d’oevres and portrait by a caricature artist; or $250 per person/$400 per couple for the 100 Club membership, an exclusive season pass to events. Details: 342-5770.

French Club Saturday night dance: 8 p.m.-midnight, 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Cost: $8 single, $15 couple. Music by Nick Mattina and the Checkmates. Details: 436-6472.

SUNDAY

VFW Post 6731 breakfast: 8-11 a.m. June 8, 15, 22 and 29, 4321 W. Gay Road, D’Iberville. Cost: $6.

Red Cross blood drive: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Sacred Heart Catholic Church, parish hall, 10446 LeMoyne Blvd., D’Iberville. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. To make an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org. Sponsor code, SACREDHEARTDIB.

Ocean Springs Elks Lodge 2501 country fried steak and eggs breakfast: 9-11 a.m., 2501 Beachview Drive. By the Ritual Team. Details: 872-2501.

Jazz Society jam session: 2-5 p.m., Gulfport Elks Lodge 978, 12010 Klein Road. Adults only, casual dress. Cost: $6 nonmembers. Details: 392-4177.

JUNE 9

American Legion Post 1192 meeting/election: 7-8:30 p.m., 3824 Old Spanish Trail, Gautier. Details: 497-6422.

JUNE 10

Integrating Mental, Behavioral, Physical and Spiritual Health: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. June 10-11, Biloxi Civic Center, 578 Howard Ave. Sessions include: social work ethics, music therapy, virtual dementia tour, elder suicide, fundraising and more.

Watercolor journaling workshop: 9-11 a.m. Tuesdays through June 24, Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Instructor: Rhonda Iris Richmond. Learn an expressive way to record ideas, document experiences and develop drawing and painting skills. Cost: $100 for members, $115 for nonmembers. Details: 818-2878.

Piano master class: 10 a.m., Academy of Music, 1902 24th St., Gulfport. Cost: $5. Details: 863-1388.

Summer Reading Programs: 10 a.m. Tuesdays thru July 8, Ocean Springs Municipal Library, 525 Dewey Ave. Details: 875-1193.

Red Cross blood drive: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., The Boyington Health Care Facility, on the Red Cross bloodmobile, 1530 Broad Ave., Gulfport. To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org. Sponsor code, BOYINGTON.

Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association Gulf South Chapter luncheon: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Golden Nugget, Biloxi. Theme: Event planning. Cost: $20 members-students, $30 nonmembers. Reservations required. Details: 872-6370.

Web Page Design workshops: 1-4 p.m., Pass Christian Public Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Presented by Andy Collins of Mississippi State Extension Service. Class size limited. Details/registration: 452-4596.

Summer Reading Programs: 2 p.m. Tuesdays thru July 8, Vancleave Public Library, Mississippi 57. Details: 826-5857.

VFW Post 6731 Ladies Auxiliary meeting: 6 p.m., 4321 W. Gay Road, D’Iberville.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom workshop: 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays through June 24, Mary C. Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Instructor: Ashley Rodriguez. Beginners will learn how to operate and navigate the selected software. Cost: $90 for members, $100 for nonmembers. Details: 818-2878.

Under the Tuscan Sun Italian cooking class: 6-8:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Cost: $30 member, $35 nonmembers. Details: 897-6039.

NAACP-Gulfport branch: 7 p.m., Isiah Fredericks Community Center. Details: 897-2916.

JUNE 11

W.O.W. POW WOW luncheon: Noon, Lyman Community Center, 13472 U.S. 49 North, Gulfport. Speaker: Eric Ward and Debor’ah Drayton Ward. Cost: $10 for catered lunch. Bring new or used shoes for Caleb Shoes project. Details: 832-1714 or 424-0098.

Coast Singles of Mississippi meeting: 5:30 p.m., St. Martin Library, 15004 Lemoyne Blvd.. Details: 875-3138.

“Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat”: 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 15th Street at 24th Avenue, Gulfport. Youth choir and orchestra of First United Methodist Church of Allen, Texas. Enjoy musical production. Details: 863-0047.

French Club men’s meeting: 7 p.m., 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Details: 436-6472.

JUNE 12

Summer Magic: An Explosion of Color: 5-7 p.m., Pass Christian Public Library. Reception for show that will hang throughout June.

How to Develop a Business Plan class: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Innovation Center, 1636 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi. Details/registration: 396-8661 or 392-9741.

Technology for grandparents: 6 p.m., Ina Thompson Moss Point Library, 4119 Bellview St. Bring gadgets and learn how to use them by Janet Beatty. Details: 475-7462.

Seventh annual International Food and Wine Tasting: 6:30-9:30 p.m., Island View Casino, Gulfport. Must be 21 years and older. Silent auction, entertainment by Jesse Hill. Cost: $50 tickets in advance, $60 at the door, $500 reserved table of 10. Benefits Congregation Beth Israel. Details: 539-1655.

Tailgatepalooza: 7-9 p.m., Hard Rock Casino Biloxi, 777 Beach Blvd. Benefits Special Olympics. Honorary hosts include Southern Miss football coach Todd Monken, Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen, USM assistant coach Matt Luke and LSU Assistant Athletic Director Justin Vincent. Music and food. Cost: $50 per person, reserved tables available. Details/tickets: 206-7424.

JUNE 13

French Club golf tournament Friday night shrimp boil: 6 p.m., 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Cost: $8 plate for nongolfers. Entertainment by Brandon Green. Details: 436-6472.

Third annual Blues at the Beach concert series: 6-8 p.m., Pascagoula Beach Park. Music and food. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Hosted by Emerge Pascagoula. Featuring Lisa Mills. Details: 938-6639.

Ocean Springs Elks Lodge 2501 Philly cheese steak dinner: 6-8 p.m., 2501 Beachview Drive. Details: 872-2501.

Steve Weeks performance: 7:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Weeks is a national kids/family musician. Cost: $5. Details: 897-6039.

“Scenic Drive”: 7:30 p.m. June 13-14, June 19-21, Randolph Community Center, 315 Clark Ave., Pass Christian. Cost: $10. First production by Pass Christian Theatre Project, a program of Pass Christian Main Street. For tickets, sponsorships: 452-3315. For more on the season’s productions: 263-2498.

Movie Night at Point Park: 8:15 p.m., Pascagoula Beach Park. After Blues at the Beach, “Grease” will be featured. Details: 938-6639.

JUNE 14

Ocean Springs Elks Lodge junior fishing rodeo: 7 a.m.-noon, weigh-in ends at 1 p.m., Ocean Springs Elks Lodge, 2501 Beachview Drive; Fort Bayou Bait Shop, 1022 Legion Lane; and Ocean Springs Marine Mart, 1320 Harbor Drive. Preregistration at these locations, 3-6 p.m. June 13. Details: 872-2501.

Alzheimer’s Walk for the Cure: 7:30 a.m. meet at We Care Hospice, 8 a.m. walk begins, 3725 Main St., Moss Point. Registration: $10 and collect donations or pledges for Alzheimer’s Association. Route is a 5.5-mile walk or 2-mile option. Details: 474-2030 or 623-5004.

Bobby Ladnier Benefit Poker Run: 8:30 a.m. registration, begin at the Little River Marina, 3200 Dumas Road, Moss Point. Proceeds go to the Bobby Ladnier relief fund. Event includes poker run, plate lunches, auctions, raffles, music and more. Donations accepted. Details: 407-595-6649 or 251-359-4249.

Seat Weaving at the Beach: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Pavilion 1 of Buccaneer State Park, Waveland. Jo Rusin and Adrian Boudreaux, instructors. Bring picnic lunch, all ages invited. Details: 466-4891.

Health fair: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Christian Education and Life Center, 2205 Convent Ave., Pascagoula. Provided by Gulf Coast Health Educators.

Community blood drive in honor of Diana LaFontaine: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Fenton Community Center, 2369 Kiln-DeLisle Road, Kiln. To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org. Sponsor code, DIANA.

Digital photography workshop: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Instructor: Ashley Rodriguez. The workshop is exclusively for SLR cameras. Learn the intricacies of working in manual mode with your SLR camera. Details: 818-2878.

Second annual McLeod Park BBQ Cookoff and Classic Car Show: 11 a.m.-6 p.m., McLeod Park, 8100 Texas Flat Road, Kiln. Cost: $25 two-man team. Live music, silent auction. Sponsored by Friends of McLeod Park.

Congo Jam Christian Music Festival: 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Fort Maurepas, Ocean Springs. Free Christian concert featuring The Barber Brothers, Matt Cowart Ministries, New Gospel Travelers, Tezel Oaks, Centurion Faith, Damascus Road, Wake the Kings, Keesler Chapel Band and the Crossroads Praise Team. Provided by Crossroads Nazarene Church. Details: 872-0214.

South Mississippi Latin Fest: 1 p.m., Coast Coliseum, Biloxi. In conjunction with Coliseum Summer Fair, family friendly activities, presentations, Latin market, contests and live World Cup soccer shown on big screen. Limited VIP seating. Details/tickets: 382-2574.

Ocean Springs Elks Lodge 2501 Flag Day celebration: 2 p.m., Biloxi VA Hospital, 400 Veterans Ave., building 17. Details: 872-2501.

Henna art exhibit and tattoos: 4 p.m.-dark, Gallery 220, 215 Main St., Bay St. Louis. Presented by artist Lori K. Gordon, as part of Second Saturday Artwalk. Anyone purchasing a piece of art for a minimum of $20 will receive a free henna tattoo. Details: 601-590-1512.

American Legion Post 1992 flag retirement ceremony: 5:30-7:30 p.m., 3824 Old Spanish Trail, Gautier. Details: 497-6422.

Downstage Productions Bunco game night: 6 p.m., Nugent United Methodist Church, 13183 John Clark Road, Gulfport. Snacks, silent auction and prizes. Cost: $20. Details/tickets: 314-4612.

Junior Auxiliary of Biloxi-Ocean Springs annual Kids Gala: 7 p.m., Beau Rivage Resort Casino Magnolia Ballroom, Biloxi. Proceeds benefit children in communities of Jackson and Harrison counties. Live entertainment by 2Hypnotic, silent auction, live auction raffle and food. Sponsorships begin at $500. Tickets per couple are $100. Details/tickets: 990-3133.

JUNE 15

Mississippi Gulf Coast Camp BlueBird fundraiser/silent auction: 4-7 p.m., Biloxi Visitors Center. The camp, scheduled for Nov. 21-23 at Seashore Campgrounds in Biloxi, is for adult cancer survivors and newly diagnosed patients. Many participants needs sponsorships to attend. Tickets to the fundraiser are $30 a person. Details/tickets: 238-3911 or 818-9611.

JUNE 17

Harrison County Development Commission Board of Commissioners meeting: 8:15 a.m., 12281 Intraplex Parkway, Gulfport. Details: 896-5020.

Stained glass workshop: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tuesdays through July 15, Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Instructor: Pam Coppola. Learn the basics of glass cutting and stained glass window construction. Cost: $150 for members, $160 for nonmembers. There will be a $50 supply fee per session for each student. Details: 818-2878.

Bike Biloxi: 6 p.m., ride begins at Eco-Geno Bike Shop, 820 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Biloxi. Enjoy a 6.75-mile bike ride throughout downtown. Helmets required. Details: 435-6339.

One Night in Bangkok Thai cooking class: 6-8:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Cost: $30 member, $35 nonmembers. Details: 897-6039.

june 19

Jackson County Senior Awareness Fair: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Jackson County Civic Center, 2902 Shortcut Road, Pascagoula. Jackson County seniors age 60 and older attend for free. Event includes lunch, military salute, food drive, health and wellness booths, door prizes and more. Wear island-theme attire. Details: 596-0407.

Promoting Your Business Online: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. Presenter: Andy Collins, Mississippi State University Extension Service. Space limited. Details: 762-3391.

Cash Flow Projections for your Business Plan class: 5:30-7 p.m., Innovation Center, 1636 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi. Details/Registration: 396-8661 or 392-9741.

Naturally Sue Ellen: 6 p.m., Ina Thompson Moss Point Library, 4119 Bellview St. Demonstration of making soap from goat milk. Details: 475-7462.

Tripletail Angler Seminar: 6-8 p.m., Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs. Cost: $25. Details: 669-8612.

Florribean Fusion culinary class: 6-8 p.m., Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Experience the marriage of the Caribbean, Florida and Gulf Coast cajun cuisines. Instructed by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College chef Todd Riley. Cost: $55 for members, $65 for nonmembers. Details: 818-2878.

JUNE 20

Second annual Gulf Coast Coin Show: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. June 20, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 22. Biloxi Civic Center, 578 Howard Ave. Over 40 dealers and 70 tables offering coins, currency, stamps and other collectibles for buy, trade or sale. Door prizes awarded. Details: 435-8880.

Summer solstice celebration: 5-8 p.m., Walter Anderson Museum of Art, 510 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs. Music by Elli Perry and Erin Miley of New Orleans. Must be 21 or older. Cost: $40. Details: 872-3164.

French Club Friday night dinner: 6-8 p.m., 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Cost: $8 plate. Details: 436-6472.

“Seussical Jr.”: 7 p.m. June 20, 3 and 7 p.m. June 21. Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Cost: $7 students, $10 seniors and military, $13 nonmembers. Details: 897-6039.

JUNE 21

Stepping for Diabetes: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Milner Stadium, Gulfport. Provided by the Gulf Coast Health Educators.

Power House of Deliverance: 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., Mississippi Extension Center, Bay St. Louis. Provided by the Gulf Coast Health Educators. Health screenings with education material on diabetes, cardiovascular health and weight management.

Harrah’s Gulf Coast Great Lawn opening show: 5 p.m. opens, 6 p.m. concert with A Thousand Horses and Darius Rucker plus fireworks display. Formerly known as Grand Casino Biloxi, 280 Beach Blvd.

Tim Shelton performance: 7 p.m., Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Shelton is the founder and lead singer of the bluegrass band, NewFound Road. Tickets: $12. Details: 818-2878.

French Club Saturday night dance: 8 p.m.-midnight, 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Music by Nick Mattina and the Checkmates. Cost: $8 single, $15 couple. Details: 436-6472.

JUNE 24

Civil legal workshop: 10:30 a.m., Ocean Springs Senior Center, 514 Washington Ave. Topics of social security, birth certificates, wills and trust preparation. Sponsored by Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation and Jackson County Civic Action Committee. Details: 800-959-6752, ext. 2919.

How to promote your business or nonprofit using social media: 1-4 p.m., Pass Christian Public Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Presented by Andy Collins of Mississippi State Extension Service. Class size limited. Details/registration: 452-4596.

Lebanese cooking class: 6-8:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Cost: $35 member, $40 nonmembers. Featuring Emile Koury. Details: 897-6039.

JUNE 26

Annual CCA Ship Island Chapter fundraiser: 6 p.m., Great Southern Club, Gulfport. Live and silent auctions, food, raffles and more. All proceeds benefit the Coastal Conservation Association of Mississippi-Ship Island Chapter. Cost: $55 single, $85 couple. Details: 223-8476.

Meet a freelance reporter: 6:30 p.m., Ina Thompson Moss Point Library, 4119 Bellview St. Meet lobbyist for Trent Lott, Dennis Smith. Details: 475-7462.

JUNE 27

Living Proof Live: 5:30 p.m. doors open, 7-9:30 p.m. show. June 27, 8:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. June 28, Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi. Features Bible teacher/author Beth Moore. Sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources. Storytelling and Bible teaching specifically designed for women. Cost: $69. Details: 800-254-2022.

French Club Friday night dinners: 6-8 p.m., 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Cost: $8. Details: 436-6472.

41st Army Band’s Independence concert: 7:30 p.m., Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Forty musicians form a complete orchestra and perform jazz, rock, country and Western. Free. Details: 818-2878.

JUNE 28

Second annual Paddle at the Dock: 8 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. race. The Dock Bar and Grill, 13247 Seaway Road, Gulfport. Races include 1-mile kids race, 14 and under. One- and 3-mile recreational race. Eight-mile elite race. Cost: $50 early registration, $60 day of the event. Race registration includes race, raffle, award, after party and T-shirt with lunch. Details: 669-1802.

Socks N. Pockets: 2 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Literacy program sponsored by Quota International, Mississippi Gulf Coast. Details: 897-6039.

JUNE 30

Beginning pottery class: 5:30-8 p.m. Mondays through Aug. 4, Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Instructor: Mark King. Learn about centering, raising the vessel and other necessary skills to create pottery. Limited to five students per class. Cost: $200 for members, $230 for nonmembers. There is a $25 supply fee per session for each student. Details: 818-2878.

12th Annual Fall Home & Garden Show The Woodlands August 23, 24

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Returning to the thriving and exciting community of The Woodlands, Texas, for its 12th year, the Fall Home Garden Show The Woodlands is planning its most exciting event yet.

On Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24, hundreds of industry professionals — from globally recognized brands to local businesses — will fill The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel Convention Center with everything needed to “Create Your Dream Home.”

“Whether you are building a new custom home or planning a remodeling project, everything you need will be at this show,” said Tony Wood, president of Texwood Shows, the show presenter. “This will be a one-stop shop for all of your designing, remodeling or building needs.”

Wood said exhibitors include professionals in windows and doors, siding, lighting, awnings and screens, landscaping and lawn care, patios, pools, spas and decks, nurseries, trees and plants, granite, cabinets, countertops, carpeting, hardwood floors, skylights, outdoor kitchens, kitchen and bath design, roofing, garage doors, storage solutions, blinds and shutters, pest control, door refinishers, aging-in-place solutions and universal design.

“We will also have homebuilders, remodelers, designers, decorators, and outdoor living experts– all here to help attendees with all the information they need to create their dream home,” added Wood.

Wood-Mode Inc., a name long recognized for excellence in fine custom kitchen cabinetry, will be well-represented by Designer Kitchens, which will be presenting one of Wood-Mode’s newest designs from its Contemporary Lifestyles collection.

“Designer Kitchens is actually building a fabulous Wood-Mode kitchen for our show.” said Wood. “After the show, it will be moved and featured in their showroom.”

The Hunter Douglas “Fashion in Motion” exhibit combines today’s hottest window-fashion trends with tomorrow’s technology. These well-designed window fashions do more than simply cover a window. Learn about the new Hunter Douglas motorization and automation apps for variable light controls and privacy options — a dream home must!

The Cunningham Gas Outdoor Cooking Stage will have live cooking demonstrations all day, using two of their top-sellers: the Primo Ceramic Grill and the FireMagic Grill. Outdoor-living experts, including Stewart Land Designs, will feature award-winning designs and outdoor-living ideas that will add to the enjoyment of your dream home.

Back by popular demand this year is the Cyclers Brewing Craft Beer Tent, featuring their unique and flavorful brews. “This year we’re adding wine to the mix,” said Wood. “The folks at Llano Estacado Winery, the largest, best-selling premium winery in Texas, will be on hand with tastings of their products. It will be a great place to rest and relax during the show.”

Organizing consultant Ellen Delap, one of the many popular speakers at the show, will be joined by nationally acclaimed green architect LaVerne Williams, Joann Ontiveros with Carol’s Lighting, home-stager extraordinaire Mary Scalli, color expert Cal Morton, and organic gardening experts John Ferguson and Mark Bowen, and “The Lazy Gardener” Brenda Beust Smith will share her tips on low-water landscapes.

Randy Lemmon, host of the KTRH 740 GardenLine Radio Show will be broadcasting live from the show. He will also be one of the speakers at the show — a great opportunity to get all your gardening questions answered!

Stop by the Nature’s Way Resources In-Show Garden Center to get ready for the fall planting season. Shop and save at the show on fruit trees, herbs, veggies, perennials, heirlooms and native plants!

The speakers’ schedule will be posted soon at the website link provided below, along with a complete list of exhibitors.

Wood said he is proud to have The Woodlands Children’s Museum back this year as the nonprofit partner for the 12th Annual Fall Home Garden Show. The museum will offer a fun activity for children attending the show. As part of its annual Wreath Whimsy fundraiser, museum representatives will be taking pre-orders for its popular fresh Christmas wreaths, embellished with decorative bows made by museum staff. Take advantage of this chance to order early for the holidays.

Over 200 exhibitors, all professionals and experts in their fields, will be on hand featuring every product and service you need to “Create Your Dream Home.”

The 12th Annual Fall Home Garden Show at The Woodlands will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 23, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, August 24. Tickets are $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and free for children under 12. Parking is free. The event takes place at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel Convention Center, 1601 Lake Robbins Drive, 77380.

For more information on the 12th Annual Fall Home Garden Show The Woodlands, visit WoodlandsShows.com, where a discount coupon for $1 off show admission will be available, along with special offers from exhibitors.

SHOW INFORMATION SUMMARY:

What:

– The 12th Annual Fall Home Garden Show The Woodlands

Where:

– The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel Convention Center

– 1601 Lake Robbins Drive

– The Woodlands, Texas 77380

When:

– Saturday, August 23, 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

– Sunday, August 24, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Tickets:

– Cash only. Adults $9, Seniors $8 and free for children under 12.

– An ATM will be located near the ticket window.

– Parking:

FREE parking in the parking garage behind the Convention Center next to the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on Six Pines and Lake Robbins, with a covered walkway to the Convention Center. Visit the website provided below for additional parking information.

Developer plans $50 million River Market apartment project

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A $50 million, very green apartment development is in the works for the River Market, the final chapter in transforming what was once a gritty railroad yard into a new neighborhood.

Developer Jonathan Arnold is planning an approximately 300-unit development called Second and Delaware that promises the latest in energy efficiency while allowing residents to get their hands dirty working their rooftop gardens.

“We want to make it affordable for downtown workers and students up to empty-nesters from Johnson County who want a great view of the river and downtown,” Arnold said.

The development, which is now before the City Plan Commission, would restore the historic street grid of the River Market, the area where Kansas City was born, by reconnecting Second Street with Wyandotte Street.

It’s also being built to last.

As opposed to many new apartment projects these days, the structural frame of the four- and seven-story buildings comprising Second and Delaware will use concrete, not wood.

The 16-inch-thick walls will not only make the apartments quieter, but require 70 to 80 percent less energy to heat and cool the units.

The green roofs planned for the buildings also won’t be just for show and insulation — they’ll allow residents to grow their own gardens.

“You won’t have to choose between a house and an apartment; you can still get your hands dirty gardening,” Arnold said.

It’s all part of a development approach that Arnold believes will continue the durable precedent of the adjoining historic River Market buildings while also appealing to 21st century real estate investors seeking long-term returns.

Although it may cost more to build upfront, Arnold said the payoff is better rents and cheaper operating costs over the long haul.

“We’re not interested in being a 20-year project,” the developer said.

The lead architect is Jeffrey White of Pawling, N.Y., with participation from Kansas City-based Clockwork and Draw Architecture. The exterior facade will be brick and stone, echoing the style of the late 19th and early 20th century buildings of the River Market.

The layout of the development calls for a four-story building fronting Second Street and a seven-story building on the north side overlooking the Missouri River with a private courtyard between.

Residents will have access to community rooms on both ends of the top floor of the taller building. They will include full kitchens and outdoor terraces with views of the river and downtown skyline.

A 100-foot-wide pocket park open to the public also is planned between the Second and Delaware project and the Market Station apartment development.

Financing has been arranged by Oppenheimer Co., and Arnold Development Group is applying for a loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Once the necessary approvals are obtained, work could begin within five months with completion anticipated in June 2016.

Arnold has an unusual pedigree as a developer.

He came to Kansas City in 2002 from New York City and started a business in the River Market, Arnold Imaging, that specialized in computer-generated architectural renderings for developers including the Cordish Co.

In 2004, along with Chris Sally, he got into the development business, first converting a historic building into the First Main Lofts and then renovating the nearby Gallo Produce Building at 140 Walnut St. into office space.

Then in 2011, Arnold was hired by the United Nations to help with the organization’s “Rio+20: The Future We Want” environmental conference. It was a follow-up to a 1992 event in Rio de Janeiro where world leaders gathered for an Earth Summit.

Arnold’s role was to take the ideas submitted by people all over the world to a website established for the Rio event, and then translate them into a photorealistic computer animation. Some of what he learned about sustainability and best design practices is being incorporated in his River Market development.

The Second and Delaware apartments also would be a cornerstone project for the northwest edge of the River Market.

It would fill the last gap remaining on Second Street between the First Main Lofts and the 323-unit Market Station apartments that opened in 2010 at Second and Wyandotte. Arnold has owned part of the four-acre site since developing the First Main Loft project in 2004.

“I had always considered it for a phase two project, but then the market downtown slowed down during the recession,” he said. “When the streetcar was announced, we decided to expand and gain site control of the entire block.”

The Second and Delaware development is about 11/2 blocks from the route of the planned downtown streetcar.

The project also would be the final chapter in replacing what for many years was an eight-acre rail yard operated by Kansas City Southern. Longtime River Market residents recall the racket created by plastic beads being sucked into hopper cars, and the cinder-strewn muddy tracks that ruined Second Street.

The Market Station project redeveloped a large chunk of the old Kansas City Southern site, but the remaining section has been an eyesore field of stones and weeds since the rail yard closed.

Deb Churchill, the president of the River Market Community Association, described Arnold’s Second and Delaware plan as “phenomenal.”

She also noted it would complete a $3.5 million street reconstruction and landscaping project done by the city in 2008.

“I think it’s great it will finish out Second Street and bring more connectivity to that area,” she said. “It also will continue the landscaping on Second Street.”

Dana Gibson, a pioneer developer in the River Market with Mel Mallin, said the pace has quickened with the addition of so many new residents.

“When Mel and I started 30 years ago, there were 28 people living in the River Market,” Gibson said. “With Jonathan’s project, we’ll exceed 2,000 people. The more the better.”

Arnold said the final number of apartments is still being refined for his project, but there will be between 275 and 308 units. There will roughly be 56 studio units averaging 550 square feet; 119 one-bedroom units from 650 to 850 square feet; and 100 two-bedroom units from 930 to 1,300 square feet.

A two-level underground garage will have 508 parking spaces.

Second and Delaware is one of three apartment projects announced or underway in the River Market.

A 137-unit development called River Market West is now being built at 228 W. Fourth St., and developers hope to break ground soon on the 56-unit Centropolis project at Fifth Street and Grand Boulevard.

Not all the news has been good lately in the River Market. Last month, Populous, a major Kansas City sports architecture firm, announced it was leaving its custom-built headquarters at 300 Wyandotte for new quarters near the Country Club Plaza in late 2015.

Its departure will cost the area daytime customers who are Populous employees, but real estate observers are hopeful new tenants can be found for the 93,000 square-foot building.

To reach Kevin Collison, call 816-234-4289 or send email to kcollison@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @kckansascity

Arcadia Valley Garden Tour will be held June 21

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The Arcadia Valley Garden Tour will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 21.

The tour will feature fifteen destinations in the Arcadia Valley, and will showcase gardens with unique features, raised bed gardening, herb gardening, vegetable gardens, landscaping, and three historic sites. Informative programs will include educational tours on growing blackberries, vermicomposting, bee demonstrations with an observation hive, and a pollination demonstration for daylilies.

This will be a self-guided tour with a brochure, maps and location information. A host will be available at the sites to provide direction and answers questions.

The Iron County Community Garden in conjunction with the Iron County Extension Council is presenting the tour as a fund raiser for the garden. The funds will be used for the garden operations, and educational and community outreach programs. Current programs include, a Grow a Reader Program, a Seed Share/Swap, and the Arcadia Valley Garden Tour. The tour is intended to also promote tourism and support local growers and businesses.

Elaine Willhite is the contact person for garden manager Linda Line and the tour. For cost and other information, please call the Iron County University Extension Office at 573-546-7515.

New garden rules cause outcry at Vancouver complex

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In 17 years living at the Brandts, Mary Widerburg has called several different units home. Every time she moves within the central Vancouver complex, her flower garden moves with her.

“It’s a job,” Widerburg said. “It always takes longer to move my garden than my house.”

Widerburg is now moving her garden again — but not her home. That’s because she and the rest of the community have been told by management that they’ll no longer be allowed to have anything planted in the ground in front of their homes. An April 30 letter gave residents 60 days’ notice to tear out any plants, decorations or personal items placed around the regular landscaping.

Starting July 1, “any flowers or items planted in the grounds or decorating the grounds will be removed and disposed of,” according to the letter from the Vancouver-based Al Angelo Co., which owns and manages the property.

Widerburg, like many, was shocked at the new policy after years of nurturing a garden that’s become a big part of her life. She’s started moving some of her treasured plants — including a rose bush planted by her late husband — to her daughter’s house. Last week, she walked along a sidewalk carrying a jar with long, white calla lilies cut from her garden.

“A piece of my joy is gone,” Widerburg said.

Nicole Kreig, a portfolio supervisor with the Vancouver-based Al Angelo Co., said there were “several reasons” for the rule change. In an email, Kreig said some residents had dug out grass and existing landscaping to expand their gardens, or disposed of freshly laid bark chips. Some had refused to give workers access to maintain the grounds around buildings, she said.

And despite the strong negative reaction to the new rule, that response wasn’t universal, Kreig said.

“Many residents have already thanked management for implementing this new policy as this has been a request of many over the years,” Kreig said.

The change applies at Brandt Norwest and Brandt Terrace apartments, two adjacent Angelo-owned properties in Vancouver’s Maplewood neighborhood.

Residents will still be allowed to have their own plants, but only in pots no more than 22 inches in diameter and 15 inches high — far too small for the large perennials that have grown for years. The properties also have a handful of shared garden spaces.

On a recent afternoon, about 10 Brandts residents gathered to vent their frustration over what they see as a heavy-handed change that unfairly punishes the entire community and ruins its beauty and character. A few shed tears at the situation. If management has a problem with a few residents, they should speak to those individuals, several said.

Forcing people to destroy their own gardens or have them destroyed takes away a vital outlet for many people in this low-income community, said resident Sharon Rollins.

“We have a sliver of property to express ourselves,” she said.

For Diana Robinson, gardening is how she’s coped with family loss. Alicia Enns spoke of a hanging flower pot — which wouldn’t be allowed under the new rules, she said — she was given for Mother’s Day.

“It ain’t coming down,” Enns said.

Some residents have already begun moving or tearing out their flowers ahead of the July deadline. Others are digging in, resisting the new rules.

Rollins has encouraged residents to call management to express their feelings. She’s also collected dozens of signatures on a handwritten petition.

Property managers haven’t given any indication that they’re going to back away from the new policy before the end of the month. Managers feel giving people 60 days to transfer plants to pots is a “reasonable compromise,” Kreig said.

Residents losing plants they’ve devoted years to don’t see it that way. Some are holding out hope that they’ll get to keep their gardens.

“I haven’t given up on this,” Rollins said.