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For the fifth year, Dogwood Arts is asking East Tennesseeans to plant dogwood trees as part of a community-wide tree-planting on Saturday, Dec. 7.

BAZILLION BLOOMS

For the fifth year, Dogwood Arts is asking East Tennesseeans to plant dogwood trees as part of a community-wide tree-planting on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Over the years, local dogwood tree populations have dwindled due to age, disease, construction and development, and neglect. The Dogwood Arts’ Bazillion Blooms project aims to reverse that trend.

Bare-root, disease-resistant Appalachian Snow and Cherokee Brave dogwood trees are available for purchase until mid-November on dogwoodarts.com. To purchase your trees, visit dogwoodarts.com and click on “Bazillion Blooms.” Trees ordered from Dogwood Arts must be picked up on Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at UT Gardens parking lot off Neyland Drive.

Ball-and-burlap trees, for which prices vary, are available at area nurseries including these Bazillion Blooms garden centers: Ellenburg Landscaping Nursery, 722 Vanosdale Road; Mayo Garden Centers at 4718 Kingston Pike, and 7629 Kingston Pike; Stanley’s Greenhouses Plant Farm, 3029 Davenport Road.

Info: dogwoodarts.com or 865-637-4561.

NEW AT IJAMS

Coming up on the Ijams Nature Center calendar:

Ropes Course Community Open House: 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7. Instructors from the New Horizons Center for Experiential Learning will be on hand to supervise an open house climbing day. Participants will have the chance to try some of the high ropes course elements and learn more about New Horizons’ programs for building teams, developing leaders and strengthening organizations. Free. Participants must wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothing for climbing.

Enchanted Day at Ijams: 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. 1 – 3 p.m.: Free animal programs, scavenger hunts, family crafts; 2 p.m. Grand Opening of Alice’s Greenhouse; 3 p.m. Enchanted Trail. Visitors must purchase tickets for the guided tours. $5 for Ijams members and $8 for non-members. Children 2 and under are free. Trail tours leave every 20 minutes, call 865-577-4717, ext. 130 to register for a start time.

Science Café at Ijams: Energy Sustainability: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12. (Ages 12 and up) Join Dr. Madhu S. Madhukar, Associate Professor with University of Tennessee’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Science Department, for a discussion about alternative energy sources. Short video presentation followed by an informal Q A and refreshments. Free; pre-registration required. Call 865-577-4717, ext. 110.

Garden Workday: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13: Help to start seedlings, tend the garden beds, and plant fruits and vegetables in our organic garden. Free, but pre-registration is required. Call 865-577-4717, ext. 114.

NOVEMBER HIKES

The Smoky Mountain Hiking Club will hold the following outings in November. For more information, visit www.smhclub.org

Saturday, Nov. 16: Full Moon Hike Around Cades Cove. Distance: 8 miles, rated moderate. Meet at Alcoa Food City, 121 N Hall Rd, at 4:30 p.m. or Cades Cove entrance at 5:30 p.m. Leader: Penny Lukin, plukin@comast.net

Wednesday, Nov. 20: Gregory Bald via Gregory Ridge Trail. Distance: 11 miles, rated difficult. Meet 8 a.m. at Alcoa Food City, 121 N Hall Rd. Leader: Elfie Beall, elfiebeall@comcast.net

Saturday, Nov. 23: Cow Flats In Greenbrier. Distance: 4 miles, rated easy. Meet at 8 a.m. at Comcast, 5720 Asheville Hwy, or 9 a.m. at Greenbrier Ranger Station. Leader: Ray Payne, rpayne10@bellsouth.net

Sunday, Nov. 24: South Knoxville River Bluff – Armstrong’s Hill. Distance: 3.5 miles, rated easy. Meet at 9 a.m. at Disk Exchange parking lot on Chapman Hwy. Leader: Ed Fleming, edwrdflm@aol.com

Saturday, Nov. 30: Historic Cemeteries in Central Knoxville. Distance: 8 miles, rated moderately easy. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Union Avenue side of Market Square. Leader: Claudia Dean, claudiadean0@gmail.com

TAKE A HIKE

Harvey Broome Group of the Sierra Club will host these outings in November:

Nov. 10 Canoe/Kayak Float, French Broad River. 15 miles from just below Douglas Dam to Seven Islands. (Participants must provide their own boats.) Pre-register with Ron Shrieves at ronaldshrieves@comcast.net.

Nov. 16 Day Hike, Honey Creek, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Moderate to difficult 5.6 mile loop trail with outstanding scenery. Preregister with BJ and Bob Perlack: perlack@aol.com; 229-5027.

FIELD SCHOOL

Smoky Mountain Field School wraps up the 2013 season with one course this month. To register go to www.smfs.utk.edu or call 865-974-0150.

Winter Hiking Camping Made Easier: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, $49. Learn about safe winter travel and camping, essential cold-weather gear, where to find it, how to pack it and places to hike with overnighters at the higher elevations.

GARDEN WORKSHOPS

Knoxville Botanical Garden Arboretum will hold two garden workshops in November.

“Planting, Propagating And Caring For Your Bulbs’ will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7. Director of Horticulture Brian Campbell will discuss the differences between bulbs, corms and rhizomes, propagation methods, fertilizers, how to plant and much more. There will be a planting demonstration following the lecture. Cost: members $7 / non-members $12; pre-registration required. Call 865-862-8717 or email info@knoxgarden.org.

“The Artful Science Of Espalier And Pollarding” will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. Join grounds manager and aesthetic pruner Mathew McMillan to learn how to create practically and fantastically pruned trees and shrubs for your garden. Learn the history of how and why these radical pruning practices were started and the usefulness these practices serve today. The one-hour classroom lecture will be followed by an optional tour of the Gardens. Preregistration is required: 865-862-8717 or email info@knoxgarden.org. Meet at the Garden Club Room. Cost: $5 members, $10 non-members.

MASTER GARDENER CLASSES

The Knox County area Master Gardener program is enrolling for its 2014 training. The program is open to all gardening enthusiasts, beginner or professional.

Residents of Knox and surrounding counties are invited to participate from 9 a.m.-noon on Thursdays, Jan. 9 through April 10. Topics include Basic Botany, Disease Management, Soils, Rain Gardening, Organic Gardening and more. Participants will return 40 hours of service to the community following the training. Training will be held at the new Eastern Region Extension office in West Hills.

Cost is $125 before the early registration deadline of Nov. 1 or $150 before the Dec. 1 registration deadline. Fee includes all training materials and is due after your application has been approved. The course will be limited to the first 35 people who register and pay.

To apply or for information, contact Emily Gonzalez, 865-215-2340.

ERIN’S MEADOW PROGRAMS

Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm is hosting events and herbal education classes.

On Saturday Nov. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., an “Herbal Open House” invites the public to visit the farm and enjoy herbal refreshments, door prizes, and hands-on herbal activities. Each activity gives participants the opportunity to craft an all natural herbal project to take home. The fee for each herbal activity is $10. Visitors may tour the greenhouses, herb shop and gardens. Reservations are helpful but not necessary.

Herb enthusiast may choose from 3 activities, “Make a Lavender Comfort Pillow”, “Make a Peppermint Sugar Scrub” and “Make a Citrus and Herb Liquid Soap.” Box lunches are available by reservation for $8. Reserve by Nov. 2.

On Nov. 16, 3-6 p.m., join Chef Ben Willis-Becker for “An Autumn Heritage Pig Roast”. This locally sourced farm-to-table dining experience will be an occasion to “Celebrate, Feast, and Give Thanks” for our local farms and abundance. The menu features roasted pig; apple cider-braised garden greens; herb roasted root vegetables; whipped sweet potatoes with candied pecans; buttermilk cornbread; warm apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream; hot mulled cider and minty hot chocolate. This is a BYOB event. Diners are invited to dress in colonial and Native American attire.

A bonfire, live music and colonial herbal craft making (optional) will be offered during the event. Craft making projects are suitable for all ages and will cost $10 each. These include: “Make a Colonial Herb Wreath”, “Make a Simmering Stove Top Potpourri” and “Make a Cinnamon Clove Pomander”.

The cost for dinner is $49, children 6-12 $15, and children under 6 are free. The event will be held outdoors rain (under cover) or shine. Registration and payment required for meal and activities by Nov. 9 (nonrefundable.) Call Erin’s Meadow, 865-435-1452, to register. Bring canned food items to donate to local food pantries.

Chef Ben is offering an opportunity to “Shadow the Chef” and learn step by step how to roast a heritage pig, including how to choose a hog, set up for roasting, dry brining techniques, take down and handling, and preparing the meat. This culinary class will be held Nov. 12 4:30-6 p.m. at the herb farm. The class fee is $45. Pre-registration and payment requested. Space is limited. Registered diners will receive a $10 discount on the class.

TRAIL HELP

The Smoky Mountains Hiking Club is looking for volunteers to help maintain the Appalachian Trail through Great Smoky Mountins National Park.

The club oversees 72 miles of the A.T. through the Smokies and 30 miles south of the park in the Nantahala National Forest for a total of 102 miles. The club is looking for experienced hikers who don’t mind trimming brush, clearing water bars — imbedded logs dug into the trail that divert water off the trail — and removing small blowdowns. Club members will be on hand to demonstrate.

Those interested can email recruiting@smhclub or call 865-483-9758.

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A free program entitled “Protecting Our Water Resources: An Ecological Approach to Land Care and Design” will be held at the Chatham Community Center on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with check in at 8:15.

The featured speaker will be author, horticulturist and consultant Rick Darke. Mr. Darke is a leading authority in regional planning, landscape design, and conservation, with an emphasis on the design and stewardship of livable landscapes that blend art, ecology and cultural geography. The title of his talk is “Putting Back the Layers: Working with Organic Architecture.”

Other presenters include Rich Claytor of Horsley Witten, who will speak about stormwater and low impact development techniques. Rain gardens will be the featured topic of Clarissa Rowe of Brown, Richardson Rowe Landscape Architectural Design Planning. Kate Venturini, Interim Director Extension Educator from the University of Rhode Island will expound on regenerating our coastal landscapes by taking design cues from nature.

During two decades as the head of the greenhouse at Cantigny Park, Joseph R. Sable created a healthy volunteer program and helped establish a colorful and eclectic Idea Garden, an acre tract aimed at inspiring amateur gardeners.

Mr. Sable also oversaw the mechanization of Cantigny’s greenhouse, and helped put in place educational programs at the museum. But the Idea Garden was among his proudest accomplishments, said Liz Omura, curator of the Idea Garden.

“That was his baby,” she said. “And the public loves the Idea Garden to this day. I think he thought that it was a great addition to the main, formal gardens here.”

• Maps

• 1s151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL 60189, USA

Mr. Sable, 69, died of complications from esophageal cancer Saturday, Oct. 5, at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield , said his wife, Lana. He had lived in West Chicago since 1967.

Born in Westmoreland, Kan., Mr. Sable received a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Kansas State University. He was recruited to work for the Ball Seed Co. in West Chicago. After a hitch in the Navy, he returned to Ball for several years.

He worked briefly for the West Chicago Park District, then ran a lawn maintenance and landscaping business for 17 years.

In 1987, a greenhouse was built at Cantigny, which is near Wheaton. Shortly afterward, Mr. Sable applied for the job as production director, running the greenhouse. He joined Cantigny in 1989.

Under Mr. Sable’s leadership, the greenhouse was computerized with humidity and temperature controls in the early 1990s. Around that same time, a nursery was added behind Cantigny’s greenhouse.

In 1990, Mr. Sable’s managers asked him to create a different kind of a garden, based on a similar concept at the Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia. The result was the Idea Garden, with a variety of concepts and designs aimed at the amateur gardener. Among other things, the Idea Garden was aimed at demonstrating how to develop a vegetable garden in a suburban environment.

“The Idea Garden was meant as something the homeowner could achieve in their own yard,” Omura said.

In 1990, Sable told the Tribune the Idea Garden was “kind of an imaginary giant backyard.”

“We’ve tried to think of as many things as possible to include,” he said. “On a really nice Sunday, we’ll have 1,000 people out here. You see people taking notes. You see them taking pictures.”

Mr. Sable told the Tribune in 2004 that the Idea Garden “has a whimsical quality to it. Our ideas come from visiting other gardens, from magazines and from our volunteers.”

Mr. Sable also helped start a volunteer program in the gardens, increasing the number from about 10 volunteers at the start to some 250, Omura said.

“He loved talking to our volunteers,” Omura said. “He had a very good rapport with them and also with staff in our department and other departments.”

Lou Marsico, vice president of operations for the Cantigny Foundation and the foundation’s onetime director of finance, praised Mr. Sable’s integrity.

“He led by example and I know that’s cliche, but he truly did,” Marisco said. “He was always soft-spoken, but when Joe had something to say, everybody listened because it was always spot-on.”

In the 1990s, Mr. Sable and Jim Schuster, a now-retired University of Illinois Extension Service horticulture and plant pathology educator, appeared regularly on CLTV to discuss gardening.

“Joe would talk about growing, and I would talk about the problems that plants would run into, since I’m a plant pathologist,” Schuster said. “Joe was very outgoing and pleasant to work with. He was always an upbeat guy.”

Mr. Sable retired from Cantigny in 2009. He took some time off before returning as a volunteer, operating its tram and sharing his knowledge of Cantigny with visitors, his wife said.

“He always felt Cantigny had been very good to him and to us, and he felt like he’d like to do something (as a volunteer) because he loved Cantigny,” she said.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Sable is survived by three daughters, Heather Frerichs, Dawn and Peggie Bicking; two brothers, Francis and Louis; a sister, Mary Delpup; and three grandchildren.

Services have been held.

When Graton Resort Casino opens its doors on Tuesday, visitors will be ushered through an exciting and welcoming space that balances a modern, sophisticated design with the ultimate expression of California casual elegance. As impressive as the gaming, entertainment and culinary amenities will be, the stunning architecture and design that features fine wood, stone and marble will equally be a star attraction.

The beauty of Sonoma and its natural landscapes were a major influence on the design aesthetic. Set amidst the countryside of Sonoma County, the exterior of Graton Resort Casino emulates the region’s rolling hills with a gently curving roofline. Abundant native landscaping includes lush vertical gardens in living, green walls. The use of stacked and freeform stone and local wood creates a sophisticated, yet casual, warmth throughout the entire property.

As visitors approach Graton Resort Casino, they pass through garden-like landscaping that leads to a main entrance designed to echo the textures and palette of the Sonoma County hills. Clad with expanses of stone and rendered in indigenous colors, the exterior blends organically into the setting through water, wood and copper details. A feeling of nature extends to the main entrance porte cochere, where water features add a dynamic, yet soothing, detail.

Guests are greeted by a mixture of vivid colors inspired by the many colorful floral varietals and botanicals native to the region. The bespoke terrazzo flooring weaves strategically through the casino and into the other gaming and dining areas, creating inviting pathways.

“The venue was designed with modern lines, but also with warmth to create a welcoming space reminiscent of the Northern California region. Our design team took inspiration from the natural elements of Sonoma County, which can be found from the flowing ceilings down to the terrazzo floors. It’s really quite beautiful,” says Joe Hasson, general manager of Graton Resort Casino.

Gaming

Thoughtfully designed with a masculine edge, the Poker Room is an immersion into rich, dark wood, polished stainless steel and a custom-designed Axminster wool carpet. Suede and leather upholstery cover walls and furniture, and frame the large-screen televisions around the perimeter. Custom blown-glass globes cast a warm, amber glow on patrons as they relax in poker chairs with multiple ergonomic adjustments that offer supreme comfort.

At Graton Resort Casino, the high limit areas range from private salons to a casino and slots area. The High Limit Casino offers an upscale vibe with an intimacy that’s perfect for that level of play. The crowning feature of the oval-shaped room, which features rich rosewood accents, is its 42-foot custom chandelier with two 12-feet in diameter crystal chandeliers made of faceted baguette crystals in brilliant shades of topaz, gold and ruby.

Sky Bar

Located centrally within the casino, Sky Bar is the premier gathering spot on the casino floor. Its unique diamond shape, low walls and strategic placement enhance views and interaction with the surrounding gaming pits. Natural daylight filters in through skylights that, after dark, welcome starry nighttime views – a feature that can’t be found in any other casino in the country.

The Event

The main meeting and entertainment venue, The Event features floor-to-ceiling windows and overlooks the exterior patio, where events will spill out into the open air and guests can enjoy conversation while lingering around fire pits. A stone-clad planter with full-grown trees wraps the patio to create a secluded, vineyard-like environment.

Design by the numbers

11,000 square yards of custom-woven carpets, featuring 28 colors (typical custom-woven Axminster carpets use 12 colors)

32,000 square feet of bespoke white terrazzo flooring

199 chandeliers suspended over the casino floor, some filled with more than 24,000 red and pink glass “flower petals,” others with 15,552 linear feet of twisted, glowing hand-painted faux wood

2,800 square feet of Zebrano marble hand book matched on casino columns

21,000 square feet of custom painted exotic wood finish

53,880 square feet of decorative ceiling tiles

If lined up end-to-end, the custom-made leather straps that frame the poker room’s entry would span more than 600 feet – taller than the Fremont Center skyscraper in San Francisco

By Greg Roumeliotis and Soyoung Kim

NEW YORK |
Tue Nov 5, 2013 6:09pm EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Blackstone Group LP (BX.N) and KKR Co LP (KKR.N) are among the buyout firms vying for Brickman Group Holdings Inc, the largest U.S. commercial landscaping company up for sale for around $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

TPG Capital LP and CVC Capital Partners Ltd are also participating in the auction for Brickman, which is now in its final stages, the sources said this week, asking not to be identified because the sale process is confidential.

Leonard Green Partners LP, a Los Angeles-based, private equity firm, has asked Barclays Plc (BARC.L) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) to run an auction for Brickman, people familiar with the matter told Reuters in August.

Neither Leonard Green nor Brickman responded to requests for comments. Blackstone, TPG and CVC declined to comment while a KKR spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Brickman tends to the gardens of offices, campuses, hotels, shopping centers, healthcare facilities, industrial parks and homes, looks after trees, removes snow and maintains sports turf across 29 states.

Leonard Green acquired a majority stake in Brickman in January 2007 in a $847 million deal in which members of the Brickman family and the company’s management retained equity interests. The buyout firm committed $222 million of equity to the deal, according to a November 2006 regulatory filing.

Scott Brickman, whose grandfather founded the eponymous company in 1939, stepped down as chief executive last year after 14 years at the helm to become its chairman. He succeeded his father Dick, who became chairman emeritus.

Brickman’s CEO is now Andrew Kerin, a former senior executive at Aramark Corp, another private equity-backed company.

(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis and Soyoung Kim in New York; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

A few yards off the walking paths at the BREC Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, an LSU biology class does battle with invaders. The students are definitely outnumbered.

The invaders are elephant ear plants, popular in gardens and landscaping in Baton Rouge, but less so to BREC, which sees the broad-leafed plants taking over the lowest-lying parts of the urban swamp. So, Barry Aronhime’s class is combining learning with an effort to stop the invasion.

Aronhime isn’t positive how the elephant ear got into the swamp. Its presence is heaviest on the upstream end of the creek that goes through the area, and is prevalent along the edges of the creek. Most of the project is directed at the downstream end in hopes of stopping the spread.

Elephant ear quickly crowds out native small plants, perhaps because its large leaves prevent other small plants from getting enough sunlight to flourish.

“It’s a swamp. It’s not a terribly diverse area in terms of little plants,” said Aronhime, who is in his third year of a project that predates his arrival. “There are at least six or so species out there, but in patches dense with elephant ear, elephant ear is all you have. It changes it to a monoculture.”

And it doesn’t give up easily. Even when winter freezes cause the leaves and above-ground stalks to die back, the tubers below ground do just fine, Aronhime said, and the plants grow back quickly when warmer weather returns. Simply digging them up has had little effect.

So far, the class has attacked the problem four ways. Some areas are left untouched to serve as control areas for comparison. Elephant ear is removed in other patches, native plants are added in yet other areas, and removal and replanting is done in others.

In addition to using native plants already growing in Bluebonnet Swamp, the class is adding other plants like iris and pickerel weed that are native to the area but aren’t found in this swamp. In addition to growing taller so they won’t be shaded out by the invaders, Aronhime also hopes to see if there is strength in a greater variety of plant competition.

“We’re trying a whole bunch of different native plants in there in sort of a hope that the community is greater than the sum of its parts,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a native out there in the swamp that can compete one-on-one with elephant ear. If it were, elephant ear wouldn’t be doing what it’s doing. We’re sort of hoping if we have a real high diversity, that will prevent the elephant ear from coming back in.”

If there is a glamorous aspect to being a biology major — as most of the students are — this is not it. Students in rubber hip boots sink six inches into the muck as they get to the target areas, which are marked by small PVC pipes sunk vertically into the ground. The act of plotting the areas on a map was difficult; the tree canopy made inexpensive GPS devices unusable.

“That was chaos,” Aronhime said.

As well, the poles are set low enough that they aren’t eyesores for people walking the trails, which only makes it more challenging for the students trying to find these reference points.

“I just lost the pole yet again,” said Cassie Graziano, a senior from New Orleans, who was counting elephant ears and native plants in one plot with Hilarie Nixon, of Lake Charles, and Nonna Nissen, of Zachary.

Groups of about a dozen students have been attacking the elephant ear in morning and afternoon shifts starting in early October.

“At this point, we’re just trying to keep it from going further,” Aronhime said. “Optimistically, we could look for a complete eradication, but for right now I think it’s pretty ambitious just to hope to stop it.”

Crown Point — Winter is nearing, but the Carillon Garden Club is already thinking spring.

Club members recently planted 200 daffodil bulbs at the Blue Star Memorial Garden near the Crown Point Bridge.

Carillon Garden Club members Judy Walker, Jackie Viestenz, Joyce Cooper and Betty Rettig completed the project. The Blue Star Memorial Garden has been refurbished to include seasonal plantings for spring, summer and fall.

“The Blue Star Memorial Highway marker and garden near the New York information building at the Crown Point Bridge has been undergoing a facelift over the past few months,” said Betty Rettig, garden club president. “Originally erected and landscaped in the late 1980s by the Elizabethtown/Westport and the Carillon garden clubs, the garden became overgrown obscuring the special sign.”

The sign, designating the roadway as a Blue Star Memorial Highway, is “a tribute to the Armed Forces that have defended the United States of America.” It is sponsored by the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State in cooperation with District IV and the National Council of State Garden Clubs.

“The idea of Blue Star Memorial Highway markers and By-Way plaques throughout the United States was first conceived after World War II to honor veterans,” Rettig said. “Later, the concept was changed to honor all members of the armed services, past, present and future. The National Garden Club, Inc., formerly known as the National Council of State Garden Clubs, began their campaign after an inspiration from a State of New Jersey garden club. It was felt that beautification gardens and signs was a fitting living memorial to the men and women who have fought or are now serving in the defense of the United States of America.”

Rettig said the Crown Point project has importance for the Ticonderoga-based garden club.

“The Blue Star Memorial Highway marker and garden near the Crown Point Bridge is a very special and fitting place since our country was first established in part because of the efforts of the men and women who lived, fought and defended this area,” she said.

“Members of the Carillon Garden Club of Ticonderoga with funding from District IV and the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State have been very pleased to be able to refurbish this important garden,” Rettig said. “Jackie Viestenz, chairperson of the project, has done an excellent job designing and maintaining the garden along with Joyce Cooper, Judy Walker and myself. A variety of landscaping specimens will provide color and interest throughout the year.”

A dedication ceremony will be scheduled in the spring. Anyone who would like to participate is asked to call Rettig at 585-7247.

It has properties that are used in cosmetic skin care. In traditional Chinese medicines, Hibiscus leaves extract is used as an anti-solar agent by absorbing UV radiations and to treat several skin conditions like wrinkles etc.

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• Stuart Rattlein his Musk Farm garden. Picture: JULIE HOUGH

Interior designer and passionate gardener, Stuart Rattle, is opening Musk Farm to the public to raise money for further restoration of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens in Daylesford.

Stuart has been a very active supporter of the Botanic Gardens, and has been central to the significant work that has been undertaken by the Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens to repair and restore the Rustic Cascade, the Victorian Fernery, irrigation works and extensive landscaping.

Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Bill McClenaghan said, “The recent restorations are an example of how Council and community groups can work in partnership to provide benefit to the community.”

“Stuart and Michael have put in an extraordinary amount of effort in preparing their private garden for the upcoming open days.

“By attending the open garden at Musk Farm you will also be supporting the great work of the Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens,” said Cr Bill McClenaghan.

Council will be completing a full Collection Plan, Landscape Master Plan and tree replacement program for Wombat Hill in the future.

The proceeds from the Musk Farm Open Garden will be used to assist in these projects and to further secure the botanic future of this internationally significant collection.

Visitors are welcome to wander Musk Farm and enjoy a gourmet barbecue, local wines, coffee and homemade cakes, local produce and plants from Lambley Nursery. The farm is open from 10am to 4.30pm.

Ann Arbor Journal News

Published: Sunday, November 03, 2013

Using a rain barrel can save you money and benefit your garden and landscaping by taking advantage of rain water, a resource you may not have thought of before.

Rain barrels collect and store rain water from roof areas that would otherwise be lost as runoff to storm drains and streams. Water stored in a rain barrel can be used for such things as watering flowers, gardens, trees and shrubs, rinsing tools or muddy boots. Use of rain barrels conserves water resources and reduces the amount of water used from municipal water supplies.

A rain barrel can save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months. Saving water not only helps protect the environment, it also saves you money because of decreased demand for treated municipal water for plant watering. Rain water is also naturally better for plants and gardens as it is soft water, devoid of minerals, chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals. Plants respond better to rain water than municipal or well water.

The Washtenaw County Conservation District offers rain barrels for sale which are made from recycled, food-grade plastic barrels. They are available in a 55-gallon size in black, blue, grey and terra- cotta; and a 30-gallon balcony size in blue.

The District also offers tumbling and stationary composters, also made from recycled food-grade plastic 55-gallon barrels. The composters only require a 3 foot by 4 foot area, so they are ideal for a location with limited space. They are low maintenance, fully-enclosed and reduce odor problems by controlling moisture and aeration.

Orders for rain barrels and composters are accepted year around. A limited stock of rain barrels and composters are available, but if what you want is not on hand, they are generally available in two to three weeks.

Order forms and additional information about both the rain barrels and composters is available at the Conservation District office and on the District web site at www.washtenawcd.org. Click on the “Rain Barrels” link in the What’s New box on the home page.

For more information about the Washtenaw County Conservation District, or its other programs and services, contact the District office, 7203 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor; call 734-761-6721, ext. 5, or visit www.washtenawcd.org.

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Using a rain barrel can save you money and benefit your garden and landscaping by taking advantage of rain water, a resource you may not have thought of before.

Rain barrels collect and store rain water from roof areas that would otherwise be lost as runoff to storm drains and streams. Water stored in a rain barrel can be used for such things as watering flowers, gardens, trees and shrubs, rinsing tools or muddy boots. Use of rain barrels conserves water resources and reduces the amount of water used from municipal water supplies.

A rain barrel can save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months. Saving water not only helps protect the environment, it also saves you money because of decreased demand for treated municipal water for plant watering. Rain water is also naturally better for plants and gardens as it is soft water, devoid of minerals, chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals. Plants respond better to rain water than municipal or well water.

The Washtenaw County Conservation District offers rain barrels for sale which are made from recycled, food-grade plastic barrels. They are available in a 55-gallon size in black, blue, grey and terra- cotta; and a 30-gallon balcony size in blue.

The District also offers tumbling and stationary composters, also made from recycled food-grade plastic 55-gallon barrels. The composters only require a 3 foot by 4 foot area, so they are ideal for a location with limited space. They are low maintenance, fully-enclosed and reduce odor problems by controlling moisture and aeration.

Orders for rain barrels and composters are accepted year around. A limited stock of rain barrels and composters are available, but if what you want is not on hand, they are generally available in two to three weeks.

Order forms and additional information about both the rain barrels and composters is available at the Conservation District office and on the District web site at www.washtenawcd.org. Click on the “Rain Barrels” link in the What’s New box on the home page.

For more information about the Washtenaw County Conservation District, or its other programs and services, contact the District office, 7203 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor; call 734-761-6721, ext. 5, or visit www.washtenawcd.org.

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