We lucky Tucsonans get to comfortably hang out outdoors for most of the year. Landscape designer Shelly Ann Abbott has ideas about making our patios inviting enough to do so.

“There are a lot of ways to really design that so you can really get out there and enjoy the space year-round,” says the owner of Landscape Design West.

The secret is to have a mix of plants, furniture, accessories and art that provide interest in any season, day or night.

She’ll share her ideas at a Tohono Chul Park class Saturday in the hopes that people discover “that patios are fabulous, colorful, fun and exciting.”

Before getting started on any patio design, Abbott suggests figuring out how and when you’ll use that outdoor space.

Winter visitors, for instance, use their patios only in cooler weather. “Plants that give year-round interest and color are important because these people are only here part of the year,” Abbott says.

Blue glow agave and autumn sage, depending on how much sun exposure they get, can provide that color in all seasons, she says.

Summer patio users may want a shade tree, she adds, preferably something that has an upright canopy such as a Texas ebony or desert willow.

Abbott also likes to use flowering plants that attract butterflies and birds. They provide close encounters with people sitting on the patio.

Here are a few other design tips that she’ll detail in her class:

• Make sure furniture is the right size for the space.

• Consider adding a water feature. Several small designs provide soothing sounds without much maintenance or water splash.

• Place garden art with appropriate plants so that it doesn’t look isolated.

• Make decisions about choosing and placing potted plants around the patio after you’ve chosen furniture and other accessories.

Garden tasks for November

Master gardeners from the Pima County Cooperative Extension advise that you spend time taking care of these gardening chores in November:

• Have sheets, blankets, paper bags and newspaper at the ready to cover tender plants from frost. Warm plants with incandescent lights. Water the day before an anticipated freeze.

• Apply a pre-emergent herbicide before rainy season starts to prevent winter weeds.

• Fertilize winter lawns.

• Increase flower production of cool-weather annuals by snipping off fading blooms.

• Replace harvested leafy and root vegetables with seedlings. To protect them from cutworms, cut a ring out of paper or from a plastic foam cup and put it around the transplant at the soil line.

If you go

• What: Winter Summer Patio Gardens; class on design and care of patio spaces.

• When: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday.

• Where: Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte.

• Cost: $8, $4 for park members.

• Registration: Required before the class. Call 742-6455, ext. zero.

• Information: www.tohonochulpark.org

Contact local freelance writer Elena Acoba at acoba@dakotacom.net

Russell’s Garden Center hosts its sixth annual Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 4 to 8 p.m., with food, wine and music by Wayland High School’s jazz ensemble.

To get you in the mood for early holiday shopping and decorating, you will save 15 percent off your total purchase during this evening event.

Here’s your chance to pick up easy and elegant design tips from Russell’s design staff, enjoy chocolate, wine and food sampling courtesy of Russell’s vendors and local retailers, and have a relaxing time for yourself, before the hustle and bustle of the holidays begin.

This is an opportunity to get together with friends and stroll through Russell’s greenhouse and Christmas shops, which are brimming with more than 20 decorated theme trees, lights, unique ornaments, candles, gifts, toys and more.

This year, WMJX 106.7’s radio host Candy O’Terry and the Magic Street Team will participate from 5 to 7 p.m. for games, prizes, and a chance to win tickets to the Boston Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker.”

Local retailers participating in the event include Bistro 20 of Sudbury, Whole Foods Market  of Wayland, In Vogue Spa of Sudbury, Newtonville Wine Spirits, Great Harvest Bakery of Newton, Fior d’ Italia Pasta, and more.

This event is free and open to the public; no pre-registration required. For more information visit our website (www.russellsgardencenter.com).

When it comes to locating plots, buildings, orienting homes, placing decor and even planning gardens the first thing which would come to our mind is unhindered flow of energy and a feel good factor.

This is quite possible when we plan our home keeping in mind some important tenets of Feng Shui in terms of decor, alignment and design.

The adaptation could extend beyond the framework of building design as it can be used to enhance the interiors, furnishing , decor and other aspects of the deisgn elements in a space.

A simple approach to Feng Shui would be in terms of providing the right plot levels, set backs, proper layout and allocation of rooms. How do we go about this? The basic understanding to allocate rooms in the right sectors is a step after getting to know the interpretation of the magnetic fields and compass directions. Presuming that one has got to know the axis of the plot and located the cardinal magnetic directions, it becomes a lot easier to design a home as per Feng Shui tenets.

Some of the very generic rules in Feng Shui home design are:-

Main door: The main door should be the largest door in the home and the door should not open into a kitchen area. Moreover the position of the main door is critical and would vary depending upon the direction and axis of the plot, however doors right on the cardinal directions are considered bad positioning.

Kitchen: What we eat, where we eat and how we eat are all part of the science of health and vitality; hence kitchen location is vital to the overall harmony of the home. Kitchen as many elements which operate in tandem or could be conflicting like water, fire (stove /electricity), metal (utensils) etc. In addition locating the stove and sink is of great importance so having the water body away from the fire is quite important.

Master bedroom: This is one of the most important rooms in a home. It is said that deep sleep is when we reunite with the source, hence if we sleep deeply we awaken refreshed ready for the new day. Quality of sleep is far more important than the length of time. Certain locations are more conducive to peaceful sleep than others. Using wooden bed/cot is preferred as wood is benign and warm as against metal beds, which are cold and oppressive, and metal is said to be associated with the planet Saturn.

Living room: This room is the sanctuary for relaxation. Feng Shui treatises says that the centre portion or the ‘tai chi’ of the house is not conducive for major activities as it receives least amount of cosmic energy, hence it is beneficial if a major portion of the living room occupies the central zone of the building. Remember to orient your sofas and heavy furniture’s such that they occupy the south and west sectors of the room and avoid furniture or blockages at the northeast sector of the room which is the knowledge sector.

Toilets: In the earlier days the toilets were away from the main house and later they were made ‘en-suite’ or attached. Toilets should not be too close to kitchen as the food energy and toilet energies are incompatible.

Feng Shui reminds us of the basic relationship between earth, man and cosmos. By adapting these principles our lives, we can create a healthy environment with harmonious living and working environment.

SBS Surendran, Master Feng Shui consultant and traditional Vaastu practitioner

For any Feng Shui related queries or suggestions, write to chennnaitimes@timesgroup.com

The mirror-finish surface makes the piece look more like a gorgeous Georgian sideboard than a work island.

The overall result is a sophisticated-looking kitchen and dining area that feels modern yet traditional, with a coffered ceiling spanning both. (The old coffered ceiling in the dining room had to be replaced when the space was enlarged, as were all the floors, because of the difficulty of matching wood once three walls came down.)

The dining half of the room retains its formal ambience, thanks to balanced lighting and chic floor-to-ceiling curtains that pool slightly on the floor.

“The trick is to keep all the details symmetrical and balanced,” said Martin, who added the owners now have the best of both worlds: an open, efficient workspace and an elegant dining area.

She chose linen for the drapes because of the pleasing natural texture, “and for their sense of luxury and quality as the light reflects on them.”

One of the challenges was creating enough storage after taking down so many walls. Martin solved the problem by designing a shallow bank of cupboards for dry goods on the side of the room facing the windows. This broad, new pantry area is about six inches narrower than a typical cabinet, so it’s an efficient space-saver.

“I’m so glad we opened the room up, and I think the transition is beautiful,” said the wife, who especially appreciates the lights over the kitchen island.

The sparkling, German-made pendants add a glow of romance. Made by Schonbek and called Bagatelle, they feature crystal and metal trim.

Long-stemmed wall sconces in the dining area are repeated on either side of the living room fireplace.

One of the major changes, and a subject of more “agonizing” debate during the reno, was whether to brighten all the dark woodwork with paint.

“It was a major stumbling block for the owners,” said Martin, who noted men like the warmth of wood in its natural state. “It’s part of their nature,” she said with a chuckle.

Although it went against the grain initially, both owners now love the light, taupe palette. While they were at it, they replaced all the baseboards, removed some of the plate and picture rails, and took off all the door hardware and replaced it with highly polished nickel.

“When we first moved in it was a lovely and very livable home,” said the wife. “It had been very well cared for, but was just a bit tired. We weren’t sure which designer to hire, but our builder Max suggested Jenny.

“The minute I saw her website I knew she was right for us. She is very detail-oriented, very organized … very good at doing everything.”

Martin said she was able to connect to the owners’ wishes quickly, partly because they have been collecting art for a long time.

“Looking at people’s art helps me tune into them much faster and translate their taste.”

The massive renovation – which covered about two-thirds of the main floor – really began five years ago with a major redesign of the garden.

“An extensive amount of infrastructure went into the garden,” said landscape architect Jonathan Craggs, who trained at the Royal Horticultural Society in Surrey, England, and studied residential landscape design at the Inchbald School of Design in London.

We have a good chance now to have some input on what’s going to happen with our wonderful Rose Garden in at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park.  Let’s not waste this opportunity!  Here’s what I just received:

Hermann Park Centennial Gardens Public Meetings

Wednesday, November 7 and Thursday, November 8

In celebration of Hermann Park’s Centennial in 2014, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) and the Hermann Park Conservancy have worked together to enhance the park, with more projects to come. The Houston Garden Center is set to be transformed into the Centennial Gardens, a lushly planted landscape destined to become a favorite spot for Houstonians and tourists.

You are invited to attend two public meetings to learn more about the $30 million project, which is scheduled to open in 2014, the year Hermann Park celebrates its 100th birthday.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

7:45 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park

1500 Hermann Drive, Houston 77004

Thursday, November 8

3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park

1500 Hermann Drive, Houston 77004

Some of the exciting changes include eight acres of various gardens from a formal rose garden to an interactive family garden, a sculpture promenade featuring public art donated by countries around the world and a pavilion designed by world-renowned architect Peter Bohlin.

The prestigious design team consisting of nationally known architects and landscape architects has thoughtfully created preliminary plans with the Gardens’ diverse constituents in mind, from families walking in from surrounding neighborhoods to visitors traveling to attend a garden show.

For more information about HPARD, visit http://www.houstonparks.org/, email askparks@houstontx.gov or call 832.395.7022. For more information about Hermann Park or the Hermann Park Conservancy, visit http://www.hermannpark.org/.

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Brenda’s “LAZY GARDENER’S GUIDE ON CD” is based on her 45+-year Lazy Gardener column in the Houston Chronicle.
THINK CHRISTMAS GIFTS!
Brenda’s book-on-CD is perfect for those new to gardening, those who loves to garden or those who have to at least maintain a front yard so the neighbors won’t hate you!
Month-by-month, when-to-do-what-in Greater Houston Area Gardens  — plant? prune? fertilize? With 12 garden designs for butterflies, hummingbirds, sun, shade, herbs, antique roses, tropicals . . . you name it.  Mail checks ($20) payable to Brenda Beust Smith to Lazy Gardener’s Guide on CD, 14011 Greenranch Dr., Houston, TX 77039.  (email: lazygardener@sbcglobal.net)
*****
CLUBS! (and other nonprofit gardening/environmental organizations): feel free to post your upcoming events through the “Comments” section on any of the Lazy Gardener blog posts (http://blogs.chron.com/lazygardener). Scroll to bottom of screen to find the “Comments.”

CHICAGO, Nov. 2, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Once again, Chicago Home + Garden magazine will spotlight 15 Chicagoland designers who have each given an old chair new life for the third annual “Chairs for Charity” event, taking place Wednesday, November 7 at Cosentino Center (1060 W. Division Ave., Chicago). A portion of the proceeds will benefit DIFFA.

This is a unique opportunity to see the work of some of Chicago’s best talents up-close. Participating designers include Blake Sloane, Carson Maddox Studios, Debra Phillips, Erik Kolacz, Francine Turk, Jennifer Sweas Design, Joel Klaff, Lance Lawson, Michele Fitzpatrick, Paul Schulman Design, Pradeep Shimpi, PROjECT Interiors, Shea Soucie and Martin Horner, Trevor O’Neil Design Studio and Wendy Kaplan.

The charity event will welcome hundreds of Chicago’s design industry professionals and design enthusiasts who will be the first to see the finished pieces and bid on them during a silent auction. Tickets are $35. For more information and to purchase tickets please visit http://www.chicagohomemag.comchairs.

About Chicago Home + Garden magazine Chicago Home + Garden, distributed quarterly by the publishers of Chicago magazine, is the turn-to source for city and suburban dwellers who love interior and exterior design. Whether they are looking for inspiration, practical tips, or resources, Chicago Home + Garden‘s gorgeous photography and smart copy draws readers in and keeps them coming back for more. In 2007, Chicago Home + Garden earned the City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) best ancillary publication award.

About DIFFA DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS is one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk. Merging care and commerce, supporters of DIFFA come from all fields of fine design and the visual arts, including: architecture, fashion design, interior design, photography and consumer product design.

With fundraising efforts bolstered by strategic partnerships and unique events showcasing innovation and creativity, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities and granted over $40 million to hundreds of AIDS service organizations nationwide.

SOURCE Chicago Home + Garden magazine

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The Pembroke Pines community garden was recently filled with something that wasn’t part of the season’s harvest: Pumpkins.

The pumpkins were the focus of the Ghoulish Guardians pumpkin carving contest ahead of the city’s annual Boo-ville Halloween event at the Pines Recreation Center. Families lined up at the community garden to carve out a design for a chance to win a gift card from event sponsor Whole Foods Market.

The contest served as the first Halloween-related event for the Pembroke Pines Whole Foods store that opened earlier this year.

“We plan on doing something like this every year and make a tradition out of it,” said Jennifer Garvin, a Whole Foods spokeswoman.

Whole Foods donated 60 pumpkins for families to take a knife to, but there also was a special pumpkin that had a design painted onto it.

Studio 18 artist Jacklyn Laflamme painted a design to match the “Ghoulish Guardians” theme. Her pumpkin had one eye falling out, and it held another pumpkin firmly in its mouth. That pumpkin, in turn, had another pumpkin painted within its mouth.

Using fruit as a canvas was a new experience for Laflamme.

“I went with the theme that you have to guard one another in your community,” she said.

One family took the competition to another level by competing among themselves. Liisa Freystaetter put out a Starbucks gift card as a family prize to her four children as they worked on their individual pumpkins.

“We’re all pretty competitive,” said Peter Freystaetter, 24. “We like the Halloween spirit.”

The Freystaetters created designs featuring bats, ghosts with gravestones and scary teeth-filled faces.

“It’s fun to carve it,” said Sharon Freystaetter, 12.

The contest pumpkins were later put on display at Boo-ville, with the winners showcased at Whole Foods. The contest was a way to both have a Halloween event and showcase the community garden, said Jill Slaughter, the city’s curator of special projects.

“We want people to get to know the city and the garden better,” Slaughter said.

The community garden is on a fenced-in parcel between City Hall and the private residences under construction. For $15 a year, gardeners get their own plot to grow what they want. The garden has attracted about 15 committed gardeners since its 2011 opening, said Janis Keller, the garden’s vice president and steward. However, a few have lapsed in their commitments due to family reasons and other issues.

“Most people here are starting out as beginners,” said Keller, a 20-year gardening veteran.

Garden members have monthly meetings to discuss issues. Some of the organic garden’s current crops include okra, squash, tomatoes and asparagus. For Keller, growing crops in the organic garden is a health matter.

“Some people have no idea what gets sprayed on things,” Keller said. “I want to control what’s being grown and live healthy.”

Keller wants to expand the garden’s offerings, but before that happens, the garden will first be packing up in 2013 and moving to another parcel on the City Center property.

For more information, call 954-435-6520.

Chris Guanche can be reached at cguanche@tribune.com.

It’s all about survival of the fittest in November. Stroll through the garden and calculate which plants will survive a drop in temperature to 30 degrees or days of endless rain. Some plants may need sheltering temporarily, but be selective. Say goodbye to the carefree annuals that flower so admirably in summer. Pay particular attention to impatiens. A disease caused by the fungus-like organism Plasmorpara obducens has swept across the states from Britain. Impatiens have always been susceptible to downy mildew, but this is an aggressive downy mildew that occurs only on impatiens and causes their leaves to rapidly turn yellow and drop. There is no cure yet. Affected plants should be put in a plastic bag and thrown in the trash.

– Plant tulips and hyacinths, as well as other spring-blooming bulbs such as anemone, crocus, daffodil, Dutch hyacinth, Dutch iris, freesia, leucojum, narcissus, ranunculus and scilla.

– In the vegetable garden, put out seedlings of hardy lettuce varieties such as romaine; replant every few weeks. Plant out cold-tolerant kales and cabbages, also root vegetables (carrot, beet, parsnip, turnip, radish), leafy crops (mustard, bok choy, chard, arugula, lettuce, spinach) and legumes (pea and fava bean).

– If you’re giving the garden a rest, plant alfalfa, buckwheat, favas or field peas to rejuvenate the soil. Come spring, chop them and turn them into the soil as green manure.

– Rake up leaves.

– Gardeners in areas with light frosts can spray an antitranspirant on frost-tender trees and shrubs such as citrus trees, kiwi vines, avocado trees and bougainvillea.

– Prepare the soil before it becomes too rain soaked for the planting of bare-root plants (such as roses, fruit trees and berries) several months from now.

– Prepare for winter storms. Dig trenches to divert heavy runoff, add heavy rocks to the base of a raised garden bed to help stabilize it, or sow bald spots with wildflower seeds or hardy annual seeds such as sweet alyssum.

– Katherine Grace Endicott, home@sfchronicle.com

Learn the basics for harvesting rainwater during a two-hour seminar Nov. 10 at Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery in Sebastopol.

Bruce Hallinan, who has installed dozens of rainwater harvesting systems around the Bay Area, will give advice on the best tank for your property, how much rainwater you can collect on a typical North Bay house, how to safely store the water and the best ways to install a rain tank, as well as different methods to use the water.

There will be a number of rain barrels, tanks and accessories on display. 10 a.m. to noon. Enrollment is limited to 30. Sing up on online at harmonyfarmsupply.com or call 823-9125.

ROHNERT PARK

Veteran Sonoma County horticulturist Robert Kourik will share the science of building up great soil during a workshop Nov. 10 at Sonoma State University.

Kourik, who has written several books, including “Roots Demystified,” “Drip Irrigation for Every Landscape and All Climates,” and “No Digging, for a Healthier Soil Sustainable Garden,” will talk about pore space, a root’s interaction with soil, mulches and the benefits of no-till versus cultivated soil.

He also will touch on mychorrhizal association, root zones, soil indicators and nitrogen fixation, all with the goal of creating vigorous, vibrant landscapes. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $165. The class will be held in the School of Extended Education in Darwin Hall 107, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. For information and to register call 664-2394. Kourik can be reached at rkourik@sonic.net.

ROHNERTPARK

Frederique Lavoipierre, who coordinates Sonoma State University’s Garden Classroom and Entomology Outreach Program, concludes her series of low-cost seminars on the science of sustainable landscape design on Nov 7 with an overview of “Ecological Garden Design.”

The lecture is from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Sonoma State University Garden Classroom in the Environmental Technology Center. The SSU habitat gardens are available for exploring before and after the talk and the Charlie Brown Cafe will be open for snacks. A suggested donation of $10 is requested. To reserve as seat RSVP to ssugardenclassroom@gmail.com.

SONOMA COUNTY

The Sonoma County Master Gardeners are holding a series of free Saturday workshops and talks geared especially for the home gardener. All are held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For information on the program call 565-2608 or visit sonomamastergardeners.org.

Nov. 3

Budget Holiday Floral Designs: Master Gardener and professional floral designer Ellyn Pelikan leads a class in how to make inexpensive seasonal decorations and arrangements for your own home or as gifts. Windsor Regional Library, 9291 Old Redwood Hwy. Building 100, Windsor.

Making Your Garden More Sustainable: Master Gardener Kim Pearson leads a discussion on sustainability and why is it so important. Using an example of a small urban garden, she will suggest projects that will transform a typical garden into a more environmentally friendly and sustainable garden that can be a beautiful outdoor space. Guerneville Regional Library, 14107 Armstrong Woods Road.

Pruning Fruit Trees: Learn how to prune your fruit trees for great fruit and healthy beautiful trees from Master Gardener Denny Pedersen. The class will cover the tools you need and how to use them, how to shape your trees, when to prune and what cuts to make. Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Drive.

Soil — Life Underground: Master Gardener Bonita Morgan covers the importance of rich, fertile soil for growing all types of plants. Included will be information needed to get and keep soil in top growing condition. Rohnert Park Regional Library, 6250 Lynne Conde Way, Rohnert Park.

GUALALA

Placewares+Lyndon Design in Gualala is presenting an exhibit on “Industrial Folk Art: Buddy ‘L’” featuring an extensive private collection of transportation toys from the 1920s and 1930s.

Some of the pressed steel toys in Christmas morning condition, are quite rare, said Maynard Lyndon, a designer and co-owner of the modern housewares store and design gallery.

Buddy L toys were created by Fred Lundahl of the Moline Pressed Steel Company, which originally manufactured automobile fenders and stamped parts for the International Harvester Company. He made the first Buddy L metal truck for his son, Buddy. The line eventually grew to include trains and construction pieces.

The collection, including an illustrated book and catalog about each piece, will be featured in the shop gallery through mid-January. In the Cypress Village, Hwy 1 at Ocean Dr., Gualala. 884-1184.

SANTA ROSA

Willowside Middle School’s working nursery holds its final fall plant sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 3.

Shop for a variety of perennials, trees and succulents at bargain prices. Proceeds benefit the program.

The sale will be held rain or shine at the school, 5299 Hall Road at Willowside in west Santa Rosa. For information call 569-4724.

You can reach Staff Writer Meg McConahey at meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com or 521-5204.

View full sizeWikimedia CommonsJulie Moir Messervy worked with Yo-Yo Ma to design the Toronto Music Garden.Portland is fortunate to have garden designer Julie Moir Messervy coming to town for a lecture Nov. 9. Best known for collaborating with cellist Yo-Yo Ma to create the Toronto Music Garden, Julie has been designing private and public gardens, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, for 30 years. She’s written numerous award-winning books, including her latest “Outside the Not So Big House” with architect Sarah Susanka, and gives lectures and View full sizeCourtesy of Julie Moir MesservyJulie Moir Messervy will be giving a lecture in Portland.workshops around the country.

Messervy will give the talk “Get Out! Designing Landscapes that Bring Everyone Outside Again” at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, at the Ecotrust Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center. Cost is $30. Tickets available online or at the door.

The appearance is sponsored by the Oregon chapter of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. The organization’s website is a great resource for finding a designer.   

— Kym Pokorny