Special Features - Spring Home and Garden 2014

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2 Red Deer Express, Spring Home & Garden Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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BY KALISHA MENDONSARed Deer Express

When many think of

spring, cleaning and de-

cluttering come to mind for

some.

Professional Organizer

Lynne Ring works to help

people regain a sense of

calm as she provides tips

on how to clean and purge

a home.

“We spend the fi rst 30

years of our lives fi guring

out who we are. We spend

the next 30 years accumulat-

ing all the stuff, and the last

30 years giving it all away. I

know for myself, that I don’t

buy like I used to.”

After the passing of her

husband, Ring left the busi-

ness they had owned for

many years and went to

work at a fi nancial institu-

tion. She was asked to or-

ganize some spaces in the

offi ce, and was so skilled

at it that several of her co-

workers approached her to

organize their homes.

“That’s what gave me the

idea. “

Ring looked into orga-

nizing as a profession, and

found the Professional Or-

ganizers of Canada to be

just what she needed. Now,

she happily helps people

re-claim their spaces from

clutter and disarray.

“Usually, I’m hired when

people are kind of at their

wits end.

“They are overwhelmed

and don’t know where to

begin. I’m in a fortunate

position in that I’m not at-

tached to the things, so I

can look at it a lot more ob-

jectively.”

One of Ring’s key pro-

cesses is to follow a system,

shortened to the acronym

SPACE – sort, purge, assign

homes, contain and edit.

“What I do is work towards

the goal of them being able

to organize by themselves

at the end of our time to-

gether,” she said.

“Once you’ve done the

SPACE thing for a couple of

rooms, you can really do it

to the whole house.”

She says the key to sort-

ing is to take things from

all around

the house,

so that

d u r i n g

the purge

stage, you

don’t miss

or forget

anything.

D u r i n g

this pro-

cess, re-

main fo-

cused on

the room

or task at hand.

“Often times what will

happen is people will go to

fi nd an object around the

home, and get distracted.

That’s very typical. I al-

ways say we can all eat an

elephant, it’s just one bite

at a time.”

Ring even has a mini-sys-

tem for sorting which in-

cludes tools, treasures, toys

and trash. She explains the

distinctions.

“Tools have a function,

but little or no emotional

attachment. Treasures

obviously have high emo-

tional value, but little prac-

tical use. Toys have both

function and emotional

appeal. Trash is just that -

damaged, worn out objects

that have no function what-

soever.”

With those guidelines in

mind, Ring moves onto the

purging stage of organiza-

tion.

She said it is diffi cult to

tell a person to stop buying

things. However, she will

remind clients that in their

home, if they have more

things than space to put

them, it’s time to purge.

Next, Ring says to look in

the space being cleaned for

things that don’t belong.

After those items are out

of the area, clean the room

while organizing to create a

fresh start feeling.

This way, a client can

begin assigning

homes with a

blank slate.

For those

with children,

make things

they use acces-

sible, so that

they can form

habits of get-

ting their own

toys, bath tow-

els and other

home objects.

Once homes

have been assigned, the

next issue is to contain

small items within the

space. When putting things

in homes, be careful not to

crowd a cupboard or room,

and assign homes based on

what the function of the

room is meant to be.

“I do suggest from time

to time that if you’re buy-

ing bookshelves and things,

buy something with a cov-

er or a door. It creates the

sense of calm. Even if the

books are all in order, when

it’s open, it looks like activ-

ity. “

‘E’ is for edit. More hands

in a house will mean tweak-

ing or editing more often.

“Unless you happen to

be the only person in the

house and you’re really

good at putting things back,

you have to tweak.”

Ring says that the SPACE

system is used for sorting a

drawer, a room, a fl oor or an

entire house.

“The SPACE system is

straightforward and that re-

ally helps the client.”

For garages, Ring says to

take away seasonal items

at the start of the season.

Get the new season’s useful

items in accessible places.

Store other items in plastic

containers to keep them safe,

and make use of wall space

to clear the fl oor for cars.

Other tips for homes

include a change-up of co-

lours to signify the change

of seasons.

Rotate bath towels, pil-

lowcases and other home

accessories with new

bright colours for spring,

and more neutral relaxing

tones for winter.

For kids, get them to

help pick a theme for their

rooms for each season. Di-

vide their toys so that every

six months, a switch can

take place and the items

will seem unfamiliar and

exciting again.

“This is providing a ser-

vice - making people feel

calm in their lives and feel-

ing happy to come home.

That’s huge for me.”

Ring presses the fact

that if people are feeling

overwhelmed, she is there

to work with them and to

make them comfortable in

their organizing process.

[email protected]

Tips for spring organizing and de-cluttering

“WE SPEND THE FIRST 30 YEARS OF OUR

LIVES FIGURING OUT WHO WE ARE. WE

SPEND THE NEXT 30 YEARS ACCUMULATING

ALL THE STUFF, AND THE LAST 30 YEARS

GIVING IT ALL AWAY.”

LYNNE RING


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SPRING CLEANING - Red Deer resident Sheila Beard and many others are busy at work prepping their lawns for summer by raking up grass and leaves. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

City sees success with composting at home programBY ERIN FAWCETTRed Deer Express

As the City enters into its

third year of the Compost-

ing at Home program, resi-

dents who have participat-

ed have seen much success.

This year, the City of Red

Deer enrolled 200 house-

holds that have never com-

posted before. The program

provides a free compost

bin, composting tool, kitch-

en catcher, training and

support on how to compost.

In exchange, participants

have committed to com-

posting in their own yard

until June 2015.

“There are many Red

Deerians who’ve always

wanted to compost but

haven’t started because

they haven’t gotten around

to buying a compost bin,

or they think composting

takes too much time,” said

Lauren Maris, environ-

mental program specialist.

“This program has been

popular because we elimi-

nate any reason for putting

off composting – by provid-

ing the training and tools.

We also teach participants

how to compost the right

way, which eliminates any

smell or pests, which are

common misconceptions.”

Since the program

launched in 2012, over

450 households have been

trained to compost in their

backyards. The Compost-

ing at Home Pilot Phase 1

report found that 70% of

fi rst year participants were

still composting after one

year. As well in the fi rst

year, about 20 tonnes of

organic waste was diverted

from the landfi ll. The pro-

gram is funded to enroll

200 households annually

through 2017 as part of the

Waste Management Master

Plan’s goals to divert more

materials from the landfi ll.

“I look at this as a gate-

way to curbside organics

collection,” said Maris.

“Our new Waste Manage-

ment Master Plan that

came out last year recom-

mends that in the coming

years we start collecting

organic waste at the curb.

That’s great and it will

help divert our residential

waste, but it’s always most

effi cient if people can deal

with what they can on their

own property. If people

compost, then they get the

benefi ts of having the com-

post as well as reducing the

load on the City.

“We’re hoping that when

the curbside organics col-

lection comes in people

will still compost what they

can at home and what they

can’t - for example things

like meat, cooked leftovers

and dressed salad - then

that would go into the curb-

side organics collection.”

Composting replicates

what happens in nature in

a contained urban setting.

“People can put a lot of

things into their composter

like bare-naked, uncooked

fruits and vegetables – po-

tato peelings, apple cores,

banana peels as well as cof-

fee grinds, tea, egg shells

and many others. What

comes out of the kitchen

is primarily greens which

is nitrogen-based,” said

Maris. “There is a second

part that is required to

compost properly and that

is what is referred to as

browns which can be leaves

and that is the carbon-

based portion.

“You need to have that

carbon-base to make sure

it doesn’t become stinky.”

According to the respon-

dents of the fi rst year of the

program, the weekly care

of the composter takes less

than 15 minutes a week.

There are also some mis-

conceptions about com-

posting, Maris said.

“These include that it is

going to stink and attract

pests. People don’t think

they have enough organic

waste to bother. People also

wonder what they are going

to do with the compost.”

She added the smell and

pests of the compost are

easily managed by know-

ing the proper recipe for

successful compost.

“With the ‘I don’t have

enough organic waste to

bother’, about half of our

garbage cans every week is

organic waste.”

As for what to do with

the fi nished compost, resi-

dents can add it to their

fl owerbeds and fl owerpots

as well as onto their grass.

“Composting is the sin-

gle best thing you can do as

an individual for the envi-

ronment.”

[email protected]


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After a particularly cold

and snowy winter, Cen-

tral Alberta gardeners are

getting ready to add some

beauty back to the world.

Greenhouse Manager

and Grower Alfred Prins,

60, has been working at the

Parkland Nurseries and

Garden Centre for nearly

30 years.

“It’s been a passion right

from day one - I went to col-

lege for this, I grew up on

a farm and here we are at

this end,” he said. “I just

like growing things, and

the occupation has been

good for me.”

Prins has been planting

and growing his entire life,

and is offering some insight

into the spring gardening

trends.

His fi rst thought - fairy

gardens. ‘Fairy gardens’

are collections of small

furniture and accessories

that supposedly bring good

luck, aside from being

small and cute.

“They say that if you

have no fairies, or if they

aren’t happy in your house,

(the fairies) start breaking

things. You have to give

them a place to get comfy,”

said Prins of the trendy

gardening style.

Fairy gardening is popu-

lar on Pinterest and offers

the gardener a chance to

customize and get creative

with their gardens.

A secondary trend that

is catching on in the busi-

ness is edible gardening,

which is what it seems like:

planting foods that you can

enjoy in your home.

“For instant edibles

we have sprouting seeds

and sprouting kits in the

Garden Centre now,” said

Prins. “There are several

varieties of kale and other

vegetables, and some can

even be grown in pots.”

Edible gardening can

range from small ‘salad’

gardens that include a head

or two of lettuce, kale vari-

eties, small herb growths

and maybe tomatoes. Oth-

ers are typical, large gar-

dens that can house any-

thing from beans to herbs

to sprouts to potatoes.

Seeds are inexpensive,

but to begin crops means to

be patient and prepared to

nourish your plants.

“The most common prob-

lem I fi nd people have when

they start their own bed-

ding plants at home is that

they start them too soon.”

Prins explains that of-

ten when people call the

Centre and say that their

plants are wilted, thin and

falling over, it is because

they were started too early

in the season and the plants

couldn’t get enough light.

He then takes a moment

to stress the importance of

water quality in growth.

“What comes out of our

taps usually has too much

lime, or minerals or sodi-

um whether it’s City water

or country water – unless

you have a reverse-osmosis

system in which case you’ll

get clean, distilled water.”

He explains that the best

way to water your plants

is to collect rainwater or

to melt snow. Luckily,

Parkland Garden Centre

and Nursery had plenty of

snow to melt this year, he

said. “That snow actually

gave us a lot of extra water

because we collect the roof

water. We don’t use well

water because it’s just not

good enough.”

Aside from water, Prins

lists a “Sunny window with

bright, bright light,” as an

essential part of planting

early in a season. He says

this is what keeps people’s

plants from wilting be-

fore they have a chance

to be transported into the

ground.

After that, he says of

course to ensure gardeners

use high quality, sterilized

soil.

For fi rst-time gardeners,

Prins recommends grow-

ing things like petunias

because once you put work

into growing them, they

are fairly easy to maintain.

He also advises trying

marigolds and tomatoes as

fi rst-time crops.

[email protected]

PREPARING - Greenhouse Manager and Grower Alfred Prins works to prepare the facility for the busy spring and summer seasons. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

Gardening tips and trends for this season

“I JUST LIKE GROWING THINGS, AND THE

OCCUPATION HAS BEEN GOOD FOR ME.”

ALFRED PRINS


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Spring looks as if it may

fi nally be close enough to

think about giving your

home a new look for 2014.

Kim Meckler, an interior

designer at Red Deer’s Car-

pet Colour Centre shares

some ways that people

can bring new life to their

homes.

“I would say that one

trend that people are going

to is lighter colour fl oor-

ings. Hardwood especially

is becoming more and more

popular,” said Meckler.

She says that a major

reason for the newest shift

is because people were

moving away from the

high-maintenance aspect

of hard wood or surface

fl ooring.

“I’d say probably the big-

gest trend we’re seeing is

tile of all shapes and sizes

and products.”

The range in tile products

varies from backsplashes

to fi replace features and to

full bathroom or powder

room glass walls. She adds

that glass is very easy to

keep clean and sterile.

Meckler explains that

here in Central Alberta, it

can take time to catch up

with trendier locales such

as Toronto, Montreal and

New York.

She said that it is often

about a fi ve-year gap from

when those locations pres-

ent new style ideas and

they gain general popular-

ity in homes here.

An example of this gap

that she presents is that

vibrant colours are ‘wild-

ly trendy’ right now and

many of the homes in Cen-

tral Alberta still contain

very dark or neutral co-

lours.

“We take a while to get

really on point with those

trends, and we are usually

a few years behind and wa-

tered down from what the

actual style trend is.”

As an interior designer,

Meckler’s eye is always

open for trends on web sites

and design magazines. “I

am friends with quite a few

designers on facebook who

are really on that ‘cutting-

edge’ from Toronto, Mon-

treal and New York – I watch

what they do,” she said.

She says that when she

gets wind of something she

likes, she modifi es it and

shows it around Red Deer.

For some people, work-

ing through a renovation

can be incredibly stressful

and seem like a daunting

task rather then an excit-

ing opportunity.

Meckler also shares

some ways that people

working with a strict bud-

get can bring some new life

into their homes. She says

the number one easiest way

to “Put lipstick on a house”

is being clean.

“Wash your walls. Wash

your bedding. Wash your

curtains, your linens – ev-

erything. Slip covers on

furniture, even a new chair

or two, a new area rug –

those kinds of things will

really spruce up the place.

It’s amazing.”

She also lists re-arrang-

ing furniture as a simple

way to re-invent a room.

Without doing any major

renovations, those simple

tasks will give the room a

brand-new look.

For people who are fo-

cused on budget, paint, new

window coverings or new

lighting are all ways to take

away the dated feel of a home

for relatively little money.

Flooring, however, is not

for the faint of heart due to

its high expense. Meckler

provides some insight into

how you can decide to re-do

fl oors or not.

She suggests that hard-

wood and other expensive

products be left until there

is a decision and commit-

ment to remain in a home

for many years.

For people interested

in fl ipping houses or who

aren’t planning on staying

in a home but would like to

make an impact, choose vi-

nyl or less expensive carpet.

“Sometimes, the biggest

mistake people make is to

try to take a budget and

stretch it out to cover an

entire home which often

doesn’t work,” said Meck-

ler.

“It’s almost better some-

times to take a room and do

it well, and do it completely

because once you’ve done

that successfully the next

parts will be easier.

To save money, do-it-

yourself renovations can

be a good idea, but if a ho-

meowner has little or no

renovation experience,

they can lose lots of money

at a later time.

However, sometimes the

presence of a professional

designer can relieve the

stress of re-decorating, co-

lour matching, designing

and decision-making.

“There a lot of places

people can waste their

money, so I tell people to

make a list of the things

that are really bothering

them the most.”

Meckler’s advice is to

make a list of potential

items that are visibly im-

portant and that could use

some attention such as fad-

ed paint, poor lighting or

old, damaged fl oors.

“Whatever bugs you

most is what you have to

start with.”

To make a fresh impact

this spring, consumers can

look into what is called the

luxury vinyl category.

“It’s a huge up-and-com-

ing material that we are

using a lot. We see people

putting it in condos and

basements where they

want a good look without a

premium price.”

[email protected]

Latest tips for giving your home a fresh, new lookLocal design expert provides ideas for spring ‘on a budget’


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they respond extremely well to being cut

regularly, your home will benefi t from the

frequent bouquets you’ll be harvesting.

Are you a small space gardener limited

to a deck or balcony?

Annual vines are perfect for creating a

sense of enclosure. While not a bloomer,

ivy will cover unsightly objects with a cur-

tain of greenery. Just give them a lattice

trellis or even a brick wall to cling to and

they will disguise air conditioners, elec-

trical outlets and many other undesirable

objects. Another non-blooming, yet very

colourful option is the Potato Vine. The

dark purple and lime green varieties can

be coerced into growing upwards instead

of trailing. Their impressive leaf colour

makes them stand out without the aid of

blossoms.

For a pop of colour, the bright yellow

faces of the Black Eyed Susan vine is a

welcome addition that will thrive in a con-

tainer. A simple tripod of bamboo stakes

gathered at the top is all this lovely vine

needs to scramble up and will bloom con-

tinuously throughout the growing season.

Nasturtiums provide an edible fl ower that

will enhance your tossed salad, but their

real value lies in their quick growth and

prolifi c blooms of red, orange, cream and

yellow.

Easy to grow from seed, Nasturtium has

been beautifying yards for generations.

Even in the tight confi nes of a balcony,

the ‘queen of vines’, otherwise known as

Clematis, can be grown in a container. Al-

though it is a perennial vine when planted

in the ground, their reasonably low cost

justifi es using them as an annual.

Wish you could capture a sense of the

tropics?

Check your local garden centre for pre-

planted ‘patio tropicals’ such as Mandev-

illa Vine, Passion Flower and Jasmine.

These tender plants will lend an exotic air

to your covered deck or sheltered garden.

Guests will be sure to comment on the

unusual properties that make these speci-

mens unique. Grown as annuals in our

climate, they can be over-wintered in a

greenhouse or sunroom and enjoyed again

the following year.

As you can see, there are a myriad of

options that allow you to take your garden

to new heights with climbing and twining

vines. Get up off the ground and add some

dimension this season.

Kim Buffum is a hands-on local gardening en-thusiast with over 30 years experience as a Zone 3 gardener.

Kim

B U F F U M


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We are pleased to introduce a new concept of Supportive Living Services to our communities.We believe that our Residents should be able to stay in their suite of choice as their needs change and more assistance is required. We know that as you age, some everyday activities can become

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and meets the needs of each individual in a very personal way and maintains independence. As the responsibilities of providing care for a much loved friend or family member becomes more than what

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season!season!

BY JENNA SWANRed Deer Express

The City of Red Deer

started taking registrations

for their annual commu-

nity garden plots this past

week.

Kristy Lepage, cemetery

specialist for the City of

Red Deer, who handles

registrations for the com-

munity gardens, explained

the Piper Creek plot lo-

cated south of the waste

management site on 40 Ave.

has already sold out with

the other two sites located

at Red Deer College and

in Normandeau which are

around half sold.

Patrons of the communi-

ty gardens have the option

to purchase either a 120 sq.

metre plot for $41 a year or

a 60 sq. metre plot for $27 a

year.

The City manages prep-

ping the plot both pre and

post growing season, leav-

ing the plot purchasers to

plant and maintain their

area throughout the sea-

son.

“People grow a lot of dif-

ferent things in their plots

and it usually all depends

on how much time and ef-

fort people are willing to

put into their plots as it can

be a pretty large undertak-

ing,” said LePage. “You will

get your really avid garden-

ers growing all sorts of veg-

etables like corn, potatoes,

peas, and carrots or some

people will grow fl owers

and we’ve seen a few sun-

fl ower plots as well.”

LePage explained the

gardens can be a great op-

portunity to “Get you and

your family outside and do-

ing something productive.

“Sometimes there can be

nothing better than reap-

ing the rewards of a little

bit of hard work and watch-

ing your kids pull a car-

rot from the ground that

you’ve grown together as a

family.”

Ken Lehman, parks eco-

logical and planning spe-

cialist for the City of Red

Deer, works to plan and

support future growth for

the City’s plots and be-

lieves the longevity of the

program, which has been

running strong for over

15 years, is due to demand

from the community for a

local food option.

“The plots are bigger

than you can fi t in your

backyard, so these spaces

are super valuable to peo-

ple,” said Lehman. “They

can learn about gardening,

learn about where their

food comes from, interact

with their neighbours and

just benefi t from being ac-

tive outside.”

The City also has begun

several other community

growing initiatives, such

as the Parkside Commu-

nity Food Forest, which

was planted last fall behind

the Save On Foods north of

67 St. in cooperation with

local group ReThink Red

Deer.

Lehman explained that

while it is too early to tell

what the yield will be from

the forest, it has provided a

great learning experience

for those involved.

“This will be Red Deer’s

fi rst community food for-

est, and it will have every-

thing from apple, plum and

pear trees to Saskatoon

and honeyberries,” he ex-

plained.

They ask users of the for-

est to respect others by not

harvesting all of the food

and only taking enough

to allow sustainability for

others and the forest.

“The garden plots and

the food forest are both

great initiatives because

they allow people to know

where their food came

from, watch it grow, see

what’s gone into growing it,

harvest it themselves, and

it saves the environmen-

tal footprint from having a

truck haul your food a long

ways for you to eat and you

don’t have to be worried

about where it came from,”

said Lehman.

“It’s a real community

connection point, as well as

it utilizes multi-generation-

al learning, so you will get

the older more experienced

gardeners teaching some

of the younger gardeners

what has worked for them

in the past and what hasn’t

and it’s a great thing on

many levels.”

Lehman also wished to

let the community know

there will be a few minor

changes to garden plots in

2015, as the Red Deer Col-

lege plots will be moved to

a site near Michener.

He also advises the pub-

lic to keep their eyes open

for community orchards

and forests popping up in

other locations around the

City such as Mountview

and West Park in the fu-

ture.

[email protected]

HELPING HANDS - Julia Hanson, 2, helps her mother Breanne plant a Saskatoon bush during the planting of the Community Food Forest behind Save On Foods north of 67 St. last September. The City hopes the forest may yield a small harvest this summer and continue growing in years to come. Express fi le photo

Community gardens bolster healthy living


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With the warmer weath-

er, now is the ideal time to

bring new life to home dé-

cor.

Whether your outdoor

items are looking worn and

weathered or your indoor

spaces need a pop of colour,

spray paint is the perfect

solution.

To ensure your furniture

update goes fl awlessly, fol-

low these few tips from the

experts at Krylon.

Prep properly - surface

preparation is extremely

important and the best pre-

dictor of how long your fi n-

ish will last.

The goal is to make your

surface as smooth as pos-

sible to ensure the new

paint adheres well. Remove

any loose rust or paint by

lightly sanding.

Next, clean surfaces

with soap and water or de-

greaser, if necessary. Rinse

and let your surface dry

completely. Your surface

should now be clean, dull

and dry.

To prime or not to

prime - primer prepares

bare metal, wood, canvas

or other materials to create

a smooth surface for paint.

It also seals the surface to

help smoothen out blem-

ishes, increase spray paint

adhesion and improve cor-

rosion resistance.

While priming is a criti-

cal step, research shows

that consumers only use a

primer 50% of the time. For

high quality results with

fewer steps, look for a prod-

uct that says no priming is

required.

Choosing the right

product - it is important

to choose the product that

meets the needs for your

substrate – as well as your

style.

Plastic/laminate - with

the popularity of ready-to-

assemble furniture made

of laminates or the many

plastic storage items, these

surfaces are prime tar-

gets for painting. However,

without the right product,

your project could turn out

less than desirable.

“Most consumers don’t

realize that not all plastics

are the same,” said Denise

Patterson, Krylon product

manager.

“In fact, most spray

paints on the market will

not adhere to the most pop-

ular plastics found in furni-

ture, toys and storage.”

Metal - for metal sur-

faces – especially those that

are exposed to outdoor ele-

ments – it is important to

choose a product that pro-

vides rust protection.

Wood - choosing the best

spray paint for wood is de-

pendent on the fi nish, use

and location of your sur-

face.

Spraying specifi cs - be-

fore you spray, shake your

can for about two minutes.

Next, hold the can six to

eight inches away from the

surface and use several

thin coats of spray paint in-

stead of one thick coat.

Begin and fi nish your

spray pattern off the object

using an even side-to-side

motion, releasing the tip at

the end of each pass. Try to

overlap your spray pattern

by about one-third with

each pass.

As you prepare to paint

new life into your home

décor this spring, these few

tips and tricks will ensure

your project is painless and

will remain pretty for years

to come.

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Red Deer & District Garden Club gears up for seasonBY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express

For locals with a green

thumb, both educational

and social opportunities

abound via the Red Deer &

District Garden Club.

The Club, whose origins

stretch back to the early

years of the last century,

is still going strong with

membership averaging

about 100.

Founded during the

spring of 1911, the Club was

originally known as the

Red Deer Horticultural So-

ciety. Today, the Red Deer

& District Garden Club is

a non-profi t organization

and is a member of the Al-

berta Horticultural Associ-

ation. Their intent is to fos-

ter an interest in all types

of gardening and provide a

forum for gardeners to get

together and celebrate the

love of gardening.

Members meet at the

Kerry Wood Nature Centre

on the third Thursday of

every month, starting at 7

p.m., said Carole Berger,

the Club’s president.

Anyone who is interested

in any facet of gardening is

welcome to pop in.

“A lot of it is about the

fellowship, because gar-

deners like to talk to each

other,” explained Dianne

Klein, a long-time member

of the group. Bolstering

members’ knowledge on a

broad range of related top-

ics is also part of the Club’s

mandate. “We have some

wonderful speakers, from

tree trimmers and people

who make water gardens to

speakers on growing better

vegetables. We’ve had peo-

ple that show you how, even

if you have a tiny, postage

stamp-sized garden, how

you can grow lots of vege-

tables in that space,” added

Berger. “We’ve had speak-

ers on how to bring more

birds into your garden,

and soon we are having

two men coming in to talk

about how to make good

soil.”

Coming up shortly is the

annual Plant Sale & Ex-

change which runs May 24

from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the

Kerry Wood Nature Centre.

For every two non-inva-

sive potted plants a per-

son brings in, they receive

a ticket allowing them to

choose one plant to take

home. Folks can also buy

any plants for $2 (cash

only) with the exception of

the odd rare or exceptional

plant, which may be a bit

more expensive.

A new feature this year is

the addition of a social area

with coffee and snacks,

plant dividing demonstra-

tions and draws for gar-

dening-related items. The

drop-off time runs from 11

a.m. to noon.

Last year, the event

brought in more than $600

– half of which went to the

Club with the remainder

going to the Kerry Wood

Nature Centre.

Further down the road is

a fl ower show set for Aug.

21 at the Golden Circle.

Over the summer, mem-

bers also go on tours

around the area to ex-

plore a variety of gardens.

“There are usually three on

a Wednesday evening that

we will go see, and these

people volunteer for us to

come and we enjoy it so

much. We see such a beau-

tiful variety of things.”

The gardens don’t nec-

essarily have to belong to

Club members – anyone

who wants members to

come and see their gardens

is welcome and encouraged

to extend an invitation.

They’ve even had people

contact them who don’t

have a garden as of yet,

but would like to hear from

Club members about how

to get started and map out

an attractive mix of fl ow-

ers and plants. And things

don’t come to a grinding

halt during the colder

months. Members meet all

year to share tips, stories

and they continue to enjoy

special speakers and ses-

sions to hone their skills.

As for the Club’s mem-

bers, the joys of gardening

are both plentiful and per-

sonally fulfi lling. Simply

being outside on a beau-

tiful day and designing

which fl owers and plants

go where is endlessly fas-

cinating. “I love being out-

side – playing in the dirt

and watching things grow,”

said Klein with a laugh.

“When I was working full

time I still remember how

when I’d come home and

I’d be so tired. Later I would

go outside for a while, and

everything just brightened

up. I had forgotten all about

the tiredness. It’s very re-

laxing.”

Berger agrees. “You are

always changing the de-

sign. People come by, and

they stand and look at the

garden. And my neigh-

bours say they love to look

across the road at the gar-

den. That brings a lot of

satisfaction – there is noth-

ing like it.”

Ultimately, members

point out that if you have

a house with a garden, a

townhouse with a small

courtyard, or an apartment

with a planter, you can

garden. Memberships are

available for a nominal fee,

and newsletters are sent

out each month with the

exceptions of July, August

and December.

“It’s a friendly group,

and we always have coffee

after the meetings so ev-

eryone can stay and chat.

If you have any gardening

problems, you can ask any

member for help. There

will be someone there with

an answer for you.”

Check out www.reddeer-

gardenclub.ca.

[email protected]

PLENTY OF PLANTERS - Staff at Wolf’s Botanical, located just outside of Lacombe, prepare for another busy season. From left are Tom Schmit, Allyssa Cinnamon, Sherry Gowen and Emma Adamson who are prepping plants before the opening day of the greenhouses. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

“A LOT OF IT IS ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP,

BECAUSE GARDENERS LIKE TO TALK TO EACH

OTHER.”

DIANNE KLEIN


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Bring glamour to your outdoor spaceThere’s no need to travel

to the great outdoors when

it can be found as close as

your own backyard.

All it takes is a little cre-

ativity and soon you’ll be

enjoying your very own

oasis.

Do you want an urban

but homey feel, or a Zen,

clean look?

It is the exact same items

that make for great rooms

inside your home – cozy

furniture, romantic light-

ing and creative acces-

sories – that can bring so

much character to your

outdoor space.

Here are some tips to cre-

ate beautiful rooms beyond

your back door:

Living and lounging

• Urban: for an eclec-

tic lounge, build wooden

benches directly into fenc-

es.

Go classically chic with

wrought iron candle lamps,

striped outdoor carpets and

monochromatic palettes.

Portable fi re pits and out-

door heaters add warmth,

making your lounge a

multi-season destination.

• Zen: minimalist-lov-

ers may craft their ideal

lounge with a pergola, plus

low, modern seating, cream

cushions, and a fl owing

wall-mounted water foun-

tain.

Dining al fresco

• Urban: take stone gar-

den décor, add metal or

light wood furniture and

you have the makings of a

great dinner out.

Update the look of your

outdoor space with a co-

lourful outdoor carpet or a

compact metallic table and

sleek vinyl armchairs.

• Zen: keep your outdoor

dining aesthetic, clean and

uncluttered with a bricked

terrace and streamlined

lacquered tables and

chairs.

For something eye-catch-

ing, but easy to fi nd. White-

screened lanterns add the

perfect understated light-

ing.

The solitary retreat

• Urban: create a back-

yard getaway with a gazebo

and decorate with a variety

of hanging baskets.

For lazy days, outfi t your

sanctuary with drapery

panels and wile away the

hours in the breeze.

• Zen: to create a calm

corner in even the tiniest

of outdoor arenas, set up

a sleek metal lounger or

string a hammock in a se-

cluded corner.

Defi ne the space with a

few sculptural evergreens.

Regardless of preference

for a lounge, dining room,

or private sanctuary, the ef-

fort you make this summer

season is going to be an in-

stant, stress-free home ad-

dition.

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Special Features - Spring Home and Garden 2014