(RNN) – While AAA says nearly 35 million Americans will travel for Memorial Day, many more will stay at home. Whether due to financial constraints or simply a lack of plans, millions will forgo holiday travel altogether.

So how can you make the most of your Memorial Day staycation?

“Adjust your attitude. Remember that it was not so many years ago when a common question was, ‘Are you going anywhere during your vacation?’ It was not simply assumed,” said Kevin Gallegos with the Freedom Financial Network. “Remember that a main point of vacationing is to relax, rejuvenate and have fun. That doesn’t need to cost a bundle or require travel.”

That said, there are plenty of things you can do in your own backyard between the barbecue at lunch and the Memorial Day fireworks after dark.

If you’re out of ideas, Gallegos and April Masini of AskApril.com have some suggestions.

Rent a convertible

How about throwing a picnic lunch together and renting a convertible for a spin to the beach, the mountains or a park?

Movie Marathon

While everyone’s at the beach, make your own film festival by seeing four movies in a row at the local multiplex.

Neighborhood garage sale

If your spring cleaning didn’t happen, this is a great weekend to pool your resources with your neighbors and have a neighborhood garage sale. Feeling resourceful? Have a bake sale, too. Donate the proceeds to your local Veteran’s Administration Hospital or some other organization that benefits veterans.

Volunteer

Spend the day volunteering at the VA Hospital. Remember what the holiday is all about and give back your Memorial Day to those who gave so much for you.

Local Concerts

Indoors or out, cities across the country will hold Memorial Day music festivals, street festivals or even a free concert at a local park. Go take in some live music.

Explore your town

Every town has touristy attractions. And most locals never take the time to see them. Contact your local tourism bureau to identify tourist sites in your hometown that you have never seen.

Swim

The local pool, the lake, the beach, it doesn’t matter. Just break out the swim suit and kick off the summer right.

Finish a Project

If you’ve been looking for time to finish a cross-stitch project or some landscaping, this is the time to go for it. Involve the kids in painting their rooms or helping get the garden ready for spring planting.

Read

Spend an evening at a local bookstore or library. Or just read a book you want to read.

Above all else, disconnect, zone out, and have fun.

“Turn off the phone and ignore email, turn on automated ‘away on vacation’ messages,” Gallegos said.

Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.

The Detailed Edge displays landscaping options indoors, so customers can plan their backyard oasis in any season. (MIKE HENSEN, The London Free Press)
Buy This Photo from Sun Media
View larger version in photo gallery

“Step right into the shop, folks. Welcome to the great outdoors.”

When Mike Wilkins set up a combined office, design centre and showroom for his Detailed Edge landscaping business a couple years ago, he had in mind a place where Old Man Winter couldn’t intrude and enforce his usual five-month shutdown in the landscape business.

Wilkins and his chief designer/horticulturist Denise Hodgins, are both energetic types, full of pep and bubbling with new ideas.

The way they see it, there’s no room for Old Man Winter to hold up the show when the world is full of potential customers eager to turn their backyard into their own idea of a little bit of heaven.

So Wilkins decided to bring the outside inside. He has created an entire palette of exterior experiences inside a space of about 20 metres by six metres and still kept a corner for design and office space (which also doubles as a deck display).

“It was my idea,” he says, but like many other good ideas, it’s so obviously good it’s bound to occur to others.

“The only other ones we’re aware of are in Burlington,” Wilkins says.

“But as far as we know, there’s nothing else like it in London,” Hodgins says.

Whatever, it has been an instant success, both commercially and as a hothouse for creative ideas.

“We’ve got 10 different types of stone here,” Wilkins says, leading a brief but busy tour of the Detailed Edge’s showcase space in Unit 108, a sprawling light-industry/commercial complex at 4023 Meadowbrook Dr. Detailed Edge is in one of the first units just off busy Exeter Rd.

In a few steps, a visitor experiences a whole range of deck and flooring materials (including synthetic grass), stone walls, fountains and sample barbecue/cooking centre installation.

“We partner in the showroom with Hickory Dickory Decks” (a London deck design and installation business), Wilkins says.

The close relationship with suppliers sparks even more creative interplay, Hodgins says.

There are pots of various materials for mulches and flower beds and many potted plants. Detailed Edge also has a potted plant and tree rental business. One of its larger installations is in the arrivals lounge at London International Airport.

Hodgins says the importance of allowing customers to experience different materials in a tactile sense can’t be exaggerated.

“I’ve seen customers in stoneyards actually licking the stone,” she says, before they decide on the type of stone they want for an outdoor food-prep and cooking centre.

There are several major influences at work in landscaping in 2012.

First there’s the ever-escalating cost of fuel that has driven up the cost of travelling vacations. People now are putting vacation dollars their own backyards, Wilkins says.

Second, an aging population is showing a distinct preference for ease of maintenance. For example, improved synthetic grass has attained acceptance and now preference in private- and multiple-residence installations.

“People who have a small backyard dominated by a large swimming pool don’t want to bother mowing or maintaining a few scraps of grass in high-traffic areas. For dog owners, the synthetic grass provides a place for the dogs to do their business and it can be washed, doesn’t stain and doesn’t smell,” Wilkins says.

The rubber-and-plastic turf, guaranteed for 25 years “is the same turf that’s in the stadium at the University of Western Ontario,” he says.

It looks and feels so natural it has become a favourite for common areas in condos.

“Residents would rather have the illusion of a lawn than bare concrete,” Hodgins says.

Despite the desire for low-maintenance yards that allow vacation-like relaxation, people still feel a need to be involved in the process at a hands-on level.

“The do-it-yourself fans are a big part of this business. We can do the designs for them,” Hodgins says.

from page H7 “About 50 to 60% of the people who get us to do designs are going to do the work themselves,” Wilkins says.

“We encourage people. Maybe we are going to do the patio, but the woman (customer) is going to do the plants; it fulfils a need,” Hodgins says.

The secret weapon in this new Stone Age is, of course, the computer.

“Customers can come in with a vague idea and in three steps see some new material they’ve never heard of before and change their minds immediately,” Wilkins says.

There are so many new materials and ideas floating around that the idea “of leaning over the hood of a truck in the client’s driveway to explain what things are going to look like” has gone the way of the buggy whip, Hodgins says.

“We can take a photo of the way their yard looks now and use our computer programs to show what a new design looks like, present it from several angles, and if they (clients) change their minds on something, we can give them a revised cost estimate in a minute,” Wilkins says.

The indoor showroom concept “has been a huge success,” Wilkins says, pointing to a sheaf of work orders pinned to his bulletin board. “We’re already booking jobs for June and July.”

He stresses that part of the Detailed Edge philosophy is “giving something back to the community.” In this case, it’s in the form of advice, suggestions and tips for customers.

“We also run seminars, coaching people on how to look after their plants,” he says.

Hodgins spends vacations looking at new ideas in landscaping and design wherever she goes.

“I travel to see new work and I work so I can travel. I’m pretty dangerous when I get back; there’s nothing we won’t try once,” she says.

Pat Currie is a London writer.

Background

Mike Wilkins’ family is Canadian but he grew up in the United States, returning to Canada in 2001 where he attended business school in Toronto. “That’s where I started out in maintenance and got a taste for landscaping,” he says.

He came to London in 2005 “because my wife Sabrina is from here” and really put down roots – in more ways than one – when he launched the Detailed Edge two years ago.

Denise Hodgins’s background is landscape design studies at Fanshawe College in London and a diploma in horticulture from the University of Guelph.

The Growing Concerns columnist for The Free Press Home section, she has worked “in all aspects of landscape from cutting grass and weeding flower beds to designing historical gardens in a museum. I have worked in both wholesale and retail sales and even greenhouse production.

“I see people looking at their yards as extensions of their homes. People are a lot more concerned for the environment and want to take better care of it.”

It’s a way out for a smaller company that couldn’t hack it in the tough economy. It’s a succession plan for a seasoned industry veteran looking to monetize his business. It’s a partnership opportunity for an entrepreneur who wants to scale up.

Consolidation is all of these things, and a personal approach to joining forces is what makes The Yard Group’s business model better than the behemoth, if you ask CEO David Pyne. “Getting bigger isn’t always a negative,” he said, shucking the stigma of a Goliath hungry for acquisitions. The Yard Group isn’t like that. “We use big company ideas, but we never lose sight of what got us here, which is the local brands and customer relationships.”

The Yard Group, headquartered in Rocky Hill, Conn., was created in 2007 with the purpose of bringing together landscape industry talent in the area. Since its founding, the parent company has acquired four major landscape brands in the central Connecticut region, all primarily focused on design/build services.

The first to join The Yard Group was BB Landscaping Design of Glastonbury, followed by Burhoe Landscaping and Lawn Service of Farmington. Most recently, the parent company broadened its portfolio by acquiring Readco Landscaping and Connecticut Homescapes, both in central Connecticut.

“The landscape industry is no different than a lot of other cottage industries in this country have been consolidated over the last 10 to 15 years,” said Michael Ferris, a founder of The Yard Group. “There are advantages associated with scale and purchasing, and you can pass savings to the bottom line and to customers.”

It’s not just about dollars and cents. For The Yard Group, bringing more companies under its umbrella allows each of its brands – Burhoe, Readco, BB and Connecticut Homescapes– to offer more value to clients.

“We want to bring as many products and services into the relationship as we can to make the experience as simple and hassle-free for the ultimate client as possible,” Ferris said. “Our feeling is we can create longer-term relationships with customers by serving them in a variety of ways across the whole spectrum of landscaping products and services.”

Homegrown Identity
When The Yard Group acquires a large, regional brand, the plan is always to keep key people and employees in place.

Perhaps some back-room jobs are trimmed out, since the parent company can offer centralized administrative services, including human resources, purchasing and other core business functions. But the people who have worked hard to grow the acquired company into a successful, desirable entity stay on board. That’s part of the deal.

“There is a human side to this business model,” Pyne relates. “We are not going in like corporate behemoths, we are going in and saying, ‘Those jobs are staying put.’ Jobs are safer than ever, and we can offer their clients better service and sharper prices than ever before – and by the way, we’re a local company, as well.”

Most times, when employees think consolidation, they figure they’ll be out of a job. “What you find with this business model is the founders of the brand stay on and are a necessary equation to the go-forward success of the entity,” Pyne said. Same goes for key personnel and operators in the field. “The difference is, now they have the kind of career potential they probably didn’t have before.”

The local, homegrown story is an important part of The Yard Group’s culture, and its branding efforts. The parent company isn’t melting out-of-state outfits into its operation. There are plenty of opportunities to consolidate regionally. And so far, integration has been solely horizontal, though The Yard Group sees how vertically integrating into the retail nursery business could diversify the business. “We could deliver our footprint in a way that does not require the upfront investment associate with renting space and buying equipment,” Ferris said.

When larger brands like Connecticut Homescapes and Readco are absorbed into The Yard Group, they retain their identity. Their names are marketed, but The Yard Group drafts service offerings from one brand to the next to make each company’s offering more robust.

“The fact is, we are still a local landscape company, and we are not going corporate,” said Pyne, acknowledging that one challenge of growing is working to maintain brand identity and customer intimacy. Pyne said The Yard Group maintains a balance by always returning to the people who drive the company – the founders of each acquired company.

Those business owners decide to take The Yard Group opportunity because the marriage makes sense financially, culturally and philosophically. “There is a certain profile of an entrepreneur who is intrigued with involving himself economically and personally in a different career path, and it gives him a way to monetize his investment,” Ferris said.

For The Yard Group, adding more like-minded businesses to the mix diversifies and expands the parent’s suite of services. This can be a real buffer in a tough economy. “We think we need to be diverse and nimble. From our experience, it is clear that this area has a lot of capacity in the industry for this approach.”

Right time to roll up
Ten years ago, The Yard Group’s consolidation model might not have been so appealing to landscape firms. “It might not have worked when things were flying high and the housing market was red hot, and people were extracting equity out of their homes and spending money on projects,” Pyne said.

Single operators could survive on their own then, Pyne said. But the economy has changed that picture for many mom and pop businesses, some of whom are just tired of the struggle. The Yard Group has absorbed several businesses like this in the last five years, melding those operations into its four core brands.

“People can save face and continue to deliver services that the market demands,” Pyne said, positioning The Yard Group as a golden ticket out for one-truck operators that are tired of wearing all the hats. They can retain their client list, continue working at The Yard Group companies, and rid of their administrative headaches.

“We see consolidation as a trend with no end in sight,” Pyne continues. “And candidly, with the economy and some of the not-so-sophisticated operators that have struggled more deeply than sophisticated organizations, we see an opportunity to roll those operators into our family of companies.”

The Yard Group is engaged in discussions with a number of small operators now, and a handful of “sizeable” companies. “It’s all about the back-office consolidation and economies of scale,” Pyne said.

“But their customers still interact with the individuals they have come to know and trust over the years,” Pyne adds, relating how those business owners stay on their accounts. Continuity is key.

As The Yard Group looks toward further expansion, it will consider ways to deepen its service offerings and expand its penetration in the commercial market. Currently, the business mix is one-third commercial, and Pyne would like to see that increase to one-half.

“The commercial piece is really the recession-proof part of this business, much more so than residential,” Pyne said, speaking of the maintenance services that The Yard Group offers since expanding from its core design/build. “Businesses have to have their lawns cut every day.” And when those clients need more than a cut, The Yard Group is there with a comprehensive design/build offering.

Ferris said the improving economy and pent-up demand for services will drive growth opportunities their way. “There are companies that have been weakened by the last four years of economic downturn, and that intersection (of a better economy and customer demand) makes it the right time for us,” he said.

 

• 

Outdoor kitchens are great for entertaining and feeding hungry friends and family. Photo: LandscapingNetwork.com

The growing popularity of the outdoor kitchen has come about as homeowners start to invest more and more into their properties…

Calimesa, CA (PRWEB) May 24, 2012

LandscapingNetwork.com is featuring new A to Z information on outdoor kitchen designs just in time for summer. From outdoor kitchen pictures for design inspiration to outdoor kitchen cost information for budgeting, articles feature hundreds of tips for creating one-of-a-kind outdoor kitchens.

The growing popularity of the outdoor kitchen has come about as homeowners start to invest more and more into their properties, and look for ways to entertain at home. Summer projects often include building an outdoor space that both entertains, and serves as an area where one can cook for hungry guests.

Ranging in size and complexity, outdoor kitchens can include a simple barbeque grill for cooking hamburgers to more elaborate extensions of the home’s kitchen that includes stove-top burners, refrigerators, sinks and cabinets. For those in the planning stages, the site offers in-depth articles on proper sizing for outdoor kitchens, along with popular outdoor kitchen appliances to choose from.

The site also features outdoor kitchen pictures in its extensive online gallery for design ideas and inspiration from projects across the country. And lastly, for those needing to set a budget, an outdoor kitchen cost guide offers tips for staying within budget, and what one can expect to spend on kitchens that range from basic to luxurious designs.

For more on outdoor kitchen designs and kitchen ideas, along with location and layout options, Landscaping Network offers A to Z articles covering every aspect of outdoor kitchen design.

About LandscapingNetwork.com

LandscapingNetwork.com works with a team of professional landscape designers and writers to bring together the very best landscaping resources and information available. Homeowners, landscape designers and architects, builders and more can also stay up-to-date through the site’s extensive collection of articles, landscaping photos and videos on landscape design ideas, products and more.

For consumers ready to turn their landscaping design dreams into reality, the site offers an easy-to-use Find a Contractor directory to find local landscape contractors and designers throughout the United States and Canada.

PDF


Print

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL — (Marketwire) — 05/24/12 — A refreshing array of changes have taken place at a stylish and comfortable Tampa hotel near Busch Gardens where everything from landscaping to room renovations have resulted in a bright and contemporary new look.

Recent renovations over the past few months at the Fairfield Inn Suites by Marriott Tampa North have created an exciting new look for this family-friendly Tampa hotel that features a variety of room options to meet the needs of Florida travelers. Offering standard king and double rooms as well as one-room king suites with sofa beds, this well-appointed lodging pampers guests with the Marriott’s new sleep experience while providing complimentary amenities for value-added savings.

Highlighting the hotel’s new renovations, the entire property surrounding the Fairfield Inn Suites hotel near I-75 in Tampa has undergone a total refurbishment with special focus and attention to landscaping of the hotel’s sparkling outdoor pool and hot tub area. Aimed at providing guests with a well manicured and meticulous site for relaxation and family fun, this outdoor patio area features inviting new furniture and an exciting variety of trees and shrubs for a remarkable landscaping transformation. Completing the project is the addition of a poolside grill so guests can gather with family and friends for afternoon cookouts.

Whether traveling to Tampa for family vacation fun, a weekend getaway or business endeavors, guests of the Tampa North Fairfield Inn Suites enjoy free high speed Internet access, complimentary breakfast served daily in the hotel’s vibrant breakfast room, convenient access a well-equipped business center and The Market, where snacks, beverages and personal needs are available 24-hours a day.

The spacious guest accommodations at this prominent hotel near USF Tampa and other popular destinations include lavish Marriott bedding ensembles, 32-inch flat screen TVs with premium movie channels, in-room microwaves, mini refrigerators, coffee and tea service and a spacious work area with plenty of outlets and an ergonomic chair. Guests also enjoy special privilege access to the hotel’s newly designed fitness center where state-of-the-art cardiovascular equipment, a treadmill, stair stepper and cycling equipment are readily available.

About the Fairfield Inn Suites Tampa North

The Fairfield Inn Suites Tampa North hotel has joined in Florida’s preservation efforts and is recognized as a Florida Green-Lodging property continuously setting goals and taking appropriate action to help conserve and protect the state’s natural resources. Conveniently located near attractions such as the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Channel Side, Ybor City, Florida’s beckoning white sand beaches and destinations such as Busch Gardens and Adventure Island Amusement Park, the hotel is an ideal choice for experiencing all the area has to offer while enjoying comfortable accommodations and exceptional service.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1993577

Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine

CONTACT:
Katya Sljusar
Fairfield Inn Suites North Tampa
1-813-989-0007
Email Contact

Normal
0

false
false
false

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }

“We don’t take these adjustments lightly,” is how Bryan Dangerfield, Director of Athletics and Leisure Services introduced the idea of increasing rates and maintenance fees for leaseholders at the Mesquite Campus to the Mesquite City Council at its meeting May 22. “We know our non-profits are hurting.”

Ultimately, the Council gave him part of what he asked for.

Dangerfield proposed to raise the square footage rental rates by two cents a month to 34 cents to help cover utility costs. He also proposed to raise the Common Area Maintenance (CAM) fee by $10 a month to $35 per tenant. The fee, previously called a maintenance fee, “will go toward some of the maintenance costs for landscaping and other common area upkeep by Parks staff as well as small projects in the future at the Mesquite Campus.

He compared the monthly rental rates at the Mesquite Campus to commercial rental rates that currently run between 75 cents and $1 a square foot. “Technically, they are being subsidized and supported by the City.”

Power, water, sanitation, and propane gas charges are included in the utility fee that Dangerfield proposed to increase. Campus tenants include private non-profit organizations like the Greater Mesquite Arts Foundation, Mesquite Cancer Society, Virgin Valley Theater Group, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the College of Southern Nevada.

Dangerfield mentioned that the rates are adjusted yearly to reflect upward or downward trends in utility costs.

Councilman Kraig Hafen noted that the majority of tenants are “donation driven.”

“Fundamentally, I don’t have a problem with covering costs,” Councilman George Rapson commented. “In one way it would be unfair to the community to support these groups through the General Fund. If the entities that use [the campus] don’t pay these costs then the taxpayers at large will pay it.”

“When these fees fluctuate like this, they go up and then they go down, I don’t understand how these organizations can plan ahead,” remarked Councilman Al Litman. “Especially when they don’t have a clue what their donations are going to be. It must be very stressful for them.”

“That point is well-taken,” Dangerfield replied. “The Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery has a long-term lease agreement. It’s a lot of work for Staff and a guessing game for the non-profits.”

Hafen asked Dangerfield to create a comparison chart of fees his department charges in other areas like the Recreation Center that would show the difference between what the City charges users and what they would pay at a commercial venue.

“If we’re going to be concerned about covering costs, then we need to look at all those kinds of discretionary charges just to see if adjustments need to be made,” Hafen said.

Rapson made a motion to increase monthly utility charges by the two cents Dangerfield asked for. However, his motion only granted a $5 a month increase, to $30, in the CAM fee. The Council voted 4-1 to accept the motion. Litman was the lone nay vote.

Economic Development Commission Presentation

Natalie Hafen (no direct relation to Councilman Hafen) and Anne Miranda presented a two-year economic development plan to the Council at its meeting Tuesday evening. The plan was devised by the Mesquite Economic Development Commission, for which the two women served as spokespersons, after Mayor Mark Wier challenged the group to create a strategic plan the local, private business community would support.

Focusing mainly on ways to boost and support tourism in Mesquite, the women introduced a new business-to-business forum to which all private business owners would be welcomed. The first meeting is scheduled for tonight, May 23, at 6:00 pm, at the College of Southern Nevada campus, Room 10.

Saying that the challenge was to determine “what can we do and what do we have we can work with now,” Hafen explained that sports events coming into Mesquite are the common core of the plan.

“The three point plan we came up with takes stock of existing resources and partners. We want to get businesses involved with the actual event coordinators,” she said. “Who can they go to work with two or three months out to see what’s coming in.”

Miranda explained that the business forum would have two purposes. “We want to do some information dumping onto the businesses about the events coming to town. These businesses can start planning for these events.”

The second purpose would be to develop collaboration between the businesses and give them an opportunity to develop partnerships within the group. “Let’s create some events for the events,” is how Miranda put it.

Additional ideas the Commission included in their two-year plan are to examine the business licensing fees and impact fees charged by the City, support the proposed Mesquite Indoor Sports/Events Center, promote a “Gold Butte Days” festival in the Fall, and utilize the Visitor Center located at I-15 Exit 122 to promote local events.

The Commission also recommends creating a messaging slogan for Mesquite that can be “adopted across various branding efforts.” Miranda said the Commission suggests adding the branding slogan to the Virgin Valley Water District water storage tank along I-15.

“We hope people will utilize what we’re trying to do and that the businesses will get involved,” Hafen remarked.

Aaron Baker, Interim Economic and Redevelopment Director, reminded the Council and audience that “with any plan of this nature, it is important for the participants to play the proper roles. It is the Commission’s belief that private business, not the City of Mesquite, should be the driving force behind much of the implementation of this plan. Indeed, the City should play a supporting role, as private businesses work together.”

In other action, the Council

–heard a presentation by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority regarding the benefits Mesquite derives from its association with the organization;

–approved a proclamation recognizing the 65th Anniversary of the Las Vegas News Bureau;

–approved a resolution in support of the right of self determination for the residents of the unincorporated township of Laughlin, NV. The township residents will vote on incorporating on June 12.

–canceled a consideration of a zone change and master plan amendment for the Riverside Commercial Center located at 750 and 780 W. Hafen Lane. City Manager Andy Barton explained that “the request for rezoning was unnecessary. There was a code change made in 2000 that allows Mr. Biasi [the property owner] to do what he’s entitled to do. Unfortunately, it never got codified. We think this was an oversight by the City Attorney at the time. In any event, we put Mr. Biasi to some trouble and expense in going through the zoning change request. We have since apologized to Mr. Biasi and we refunded his fees. We will make sure this ordinance change is put back into the code.

Due to the high fire risk that is expected this summer, the Park City Fire Department is recommending property owners take easy, proactive steps in their own backyard to reduce the risk of fires spreading or engulfing their home.

According to Park City Fire Chief Scott Adams, the goal of fire-wise landscaping is to reduce the amount of flammable vegetation and materials that surround a house, which will limit the amount of fuel for a fire.

“If homeowners use preventive maintenance in the landscaping of their home, it makes it easier for firefighters to protect it,” Adams said. “When we come to a residential fire, we look at what homes we can save and which ones we can’t. These landscaping ideas help homes fall into the can-save category.”

According to Adams, some yard fire hazards include errant tree branches and clogged gutters.

“If tree limbs get too close to the roof that can be really dangerous or if the trees are too close together,” he said. “Also, if there is a buildup of dry leaves in the rain gutter those can be highly combustible.”

Even if a homeowner already has landscaping in place, Adams said there are easy ways to make a yard safer.

“Trees should be trimmed of branches up to six feet from the ground,” he said. “That way if a fire is on the ground it is less likely to ignite the trees. This summer the ground is so dry that once fires start they take off every quickly. We are especially concerned with cabins in the woods that are surrounded by trees.”

Adams said the fire district recommends homeowners follow the “zone concept” when landscaping their yards.

In zone one, which encompasses everything within a 30-foot perimeter of the home, residents should consider fire-resistant patio furniture and avoid propane tanks or firewood stacks. Trees should be watered regularly and plants should be carefully spaced and free of resins, oils and waxes.

In zone two, which includes everything within 100 feet of a house, residents should leave 30 feet in between tree clusters and encourage a mixture of deciduous and coniferous pine trees. “Fuel breaks” such as driveways and gravel walkways should also be considered.

Zone three extends up to 200 feet away from a house and should be sparse with little accumulation of wood debris.

Adams said with smart and fire-wise landscaping, homes will be better protected from fires that begin within a house and fires that could spread from a neighboring area. Adams added that residents should remove excess branches in the next few weeks so the fire district can dispose of them during its annual free wood-chipping service in June. Check www.parkrecord.com for more information on the service as it becomes available.

For more information on how to landscape visit www.firewise.org .

Info Box:

Maintaining the Firewise Landscape

Keep trees and shrubs pruned six to 10 feet from the ground.

Remove leaf clutter and dead and overhanging branches.

Mow the lawn regularly and dispose of cutting and debris promptly.

Store firewood away from the house.

Maintain the irrigation system regularly.

Familiarize yourself with local regulations regarding vegetative clearance, debris disposal, and fire safety requirements for equipment.

-Tips provided by the Park City Fire District

The Sanger Public Library will offer
free programs on landscaping and scrapbooking this week, according to an
announcement from the library.

The first program is titled “Planning
the Home Landscape,” and will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the library meeting
room.

Denton County Master Gardener Shirlee
Singer will present the program and discuss the challenges that a North Texas
homeowner faces when undertaking a landscaping or gardening project.

Reservations are requested to ensure
there will be enough handouts for everyone. To sign up, contact the library at
940-458-3257 or library@sangertexas.org or visit the library.

The second program will be an “open
crop” scrapbooking session planned for noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.

During an “open crop” session,
participants are free to work on any part or type of scrapbooking project, and
they can take advantage of specialized machines and tools that will be
available during the program.

The library will provide cutting
machines and a few dies for the machines, a large supply of stencils and
paper-piecing patterns and some paper and embellishments. The library will also
have a variety of books on scrapbooking available to provide ideas and
inspiration.

Participants are asked to bring whatever
paper project they want to work on, and the supplies needed. Dies and
cartridges to fit the library’s die cutting machines are also welcome. Unwanted
or extra supplies can be brought to share or trade with others, or to donate to
the library for future scrapbooking workshops.

To reserve a spot at the scrapbooking
session, call 940-458-3257, e-mail library@sangertexas.org
 or visit the library, located at 501
Bolivar St.

 

Dogwood
Estates in Denton offers free senior health fair Wednesday

Dogwood Estates independent senior
retirement community will offer a free senior health fair at 10 a.m. Wednesday,
according to a news release from Holiday Retirement.

A variety of local health professionals
are scheduled to attend and provide information during the health fair. The
event will feature giveaways, health screenings and demonstrations. Guests who
RSVP are invited to a complimentary lunch.

Dogwood Estates is located at 2820 Wind
River Lane in Denton. To RSVP or for more information, call 940-383-8600.

 

American
Legion Post 550 plans fundraiser Saturday

American Legion Post 550 in Pilot Point
will hold a Pig Roast Fundraiser from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, organizers
announced recently.

For a $5 donation, attendees will get a
sandwich and beans. An all-you-can-eat dinner is available for a donation of
$8.95.

Beverages will be available from noon to
1 a.m., and the cooks will be preparing the meal all day, so area residents are
invited to stop by the post and visit with friends, organizers said.

American Legion Post 550 is located at
905 N. Foundation Drive in Pilot Point.

 

Memorial
car wash planned at two locations

A memorial car wash to benefit the Ryan
White scholarship is planned for 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Sonic Drive-In
restaurant in Aubrey and the Sonic Drive-In restaurant at 109 N. Loop 288 in
Denton, organizers announced recently.

White, an 18-year-old student at Aubrey
High School, was killed in a traffic accident last month.

Donations will be accepted at the car
wash, and volunteers are needed to help with the event at both locations. Soap,
towels and other items are also needed.

Those who can help with the event are
asked to call Karen Faulkner at 940-453-2980.

 

Registration
deadline nears for day camps

Time is running out for youngsters to
enroll in the Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area’s summer day camps,
Lisa Cole, education coordinator, reminded last week.

Advance registration for the camps is
required by June 1.

“We are looking forward to a great time
fishing, hiking, kayaking, wading, birding and more,” she wrote in an e-mail
announcement.

LLELA is offering two weeks of day camps
for children ages 7-12. Parents can choose a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule
for a fee of $120 per child, or they can opt for a full week of classes for
$185 per child

Sessions will be offered June 11-15 or
June 18-22.

Ages 7-9 can sign up for sessions on the
following topics: Pond Investigators, Life in the Shade, Home on the Range, the
Art of Nature, and Paddle and Stomp.

Ages 10-12 can sign up for sessions on
these topics: Aquanauts, Biologist for a Day, Incredible Insects, Gone Fishin’,
and Paddle and Pedal.

Contact the LLELA education coordinator
at 972-219-3930 or lisacole@unt.edu or visit www.ias.unt.edu/llela  for details and registration.

LES
COCKRELL is interested in your input for Out About. Help share
information about Denton County events and people by calling him at
940-566-6887. His e-mail address is lcockrell@dentonrc.com
.

 

Antietam Historical Association held its second annual Spring Garden Fest at Antietam Farm on Lyons Road on Saturday.

The event is a fundraiser for the historical association.

“Not only is it an opportunity for visitors to get gardening and landscaping ideas but also it helps raise funds for the historical association,” said Todd Dorsett, event coordinator and vice president of the association.

Each year, the Spring Garden Fest is held at a different location, and Dorsett said the home doesn’t have to be historic, only have a beautiful landscape.

The association was hoping to raise $1,000 to benefit the annual operation expenses of the historical association. Dorsett said it costs about $3,000 annually to operate the association.

Kathy LaRoche of Waynesboro and her husband enjoyed the harp music at the event.

“We thought it would be fun to come and see the beautiful surroundings,” LaRoche said. “It’s gorgeous. It’s just beautiful. As you walk up, you’re kind of awestruck at how beautiful it is.”

With more than 77 acres of land to take in, all Angela Rocks Shriver of Waynesboro could say was that the property was gorgeous.

“I think this place is delightful,” she said as ice cream was served to her while she relaxed with a few friends listening to harp music.

Her friend, Marie Digiammarino of Waynesboro, was happy that the $10 admission fee was donated to the historical association.

“I love being out on a beautiful day, and I love flowers,” she said.

Knowing that the admission fee goes to the historical association was important to Mary Rocks of Waynesboro.

“I just love the property, and I think it’s important to know your history. To know where you came from makes life interesting,” Rocks said.

The home is owned by Allen and Mary Alice Baumgardner, who purchased the mansion farm in 1977. The home dates to the mid-19th century.

CHIEFTAIN PHOTOS/BRYAN KELSEN

Fox flowers

Yellow marigolds and assorted other flowers display bright color in the greenhouse at Fox’s Garden Supply.

CHIEFTAIN PHOTOS/BRYAN KELSEN

Gary Waye of Fox’s Garden Supply

Gary Waye of Fox’s Garden Supply helps customer Mike Miller with information on his gardening needs Tuesday in the store’s greenhouse.

CHIEFTAIN PHOTOS/BRYAN KELSEN

Frank Palacio and his sister

Frank Palacio and his sister, Lisa Palacio-Padilla, stand in the greenhouse with the family dog, Charolette, at the Palace Nursery in Pueblo West.

Posted: Sunday, May 20, 2012 4:00 am
|


Updated: 8:06 pm, Fri May 18, 2012.

Landscapers harvesting green

By GIANNA LISAC | city@chieftain.com

The Pueblo Chieftain

|
0 comments

As summer quickly approaches, new landscaping ideas and trends are blossoming, whether it be on streets or in the green-clad yards of Puebloans.

“Living in a climate where we experience all four seasons allows for a variety of landscaping ideas, and lets plants show all features throughout the year,” said Frank Palacio, owner of Palace Nursery in Pueblo West.

Click here to read the full story in our digital edition.

 

More about Plant

• ARTICLE: Russian olive’s fall from grace
• ARTICLE: Power authority threatens to sue Trinidad
• ARTICLE: Safety slacks slow weapons plant project
• ARTICLE: Trinidad, authority continue to wrangle over project

More about Mix

• ARTICLE: Trust us: Don’t paint your old paneling
• ARTICLE: Winning trainer on a rocking horse ride
• ARTICLE: Byers hurler confounds Rye
• ARTICLE: May rain, but might not … State gets a small dose of spring showers

• 
  Discuss
  
• Print
  
  
  

Posted in
Local

on

Sunday, May 20, 2012 4:00 am.

Updated: 8:06 pm.

| Tags:

Plant,

Donald Knuth,

Mix,

Environment,

Frank Palacio,

Gary Waye,

Plant Nursery,

Landscaping,

Garden,

Palace Nursery,

Shopping,

Home And Garden,

Food,

Flower,

Business And Economy,

Acetic Acid