WOODINVILLE WINE COUNTRY

WOODINVILLE WINE COUNTRY

Written By Robyn Roehm Cannon

Washington State is recognized for many things: Mount Rainier, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and cherries and apples, just to name a few. But this Pacific Northwest state is also the largest producer of premium wines next to California.

In recent years, hundreds of small producers have followed in the footsteps of well-known Chateau Ste. Michelle. And today, minutes from the historic French-style chateau, fifty-four of Washington’s 650 wineries are releasing noteworthy estate vintages in a countrified setting known as Woodinville Wine Country, just twenty miles northeast of Seattle.

“Estate” generally means grapes are grown on the winery’s own land, but nearly all Woodinville wineries source fruit from established vineyards in the Columbia Valley, east of the Cascade Mountains, where sunny days and cool evenings allow the grapes to mature slowly and yield beautifully balanced wines with loads of bright fruit and character.

A few days in Woodinville make for a memorable adventure for the wine aficionado who enjoys swanky lodging and spas, scrumptious farm-to-table cuisine, and gorgeous scenery from the car—or on a bike along the trails that tie many of the wineries together.

There are two outstanding lodging choices in the area, both associated with award-winning chefs and extensive wine programs emphasizing local producers.

Eight miles down the road from Woodinville is the charming resort-like town of Kirkland on Lake Washington, where you’ll find the boutique Heathman Hotel. Large rooms with chic decor have deluxe amenities, and natural wellness is the mantra of the hotel’s luxurious Penterra Spa, with the most professional therapists you’ll find anywhere. My Swedish massage and 75-minute facial rank in my top restorative spa experiences ever.

Just off the hotel lobby is Trellis, where artisan farmer and executive chef Brian Scheehser takes fresh seasonal produce, often grown on his own ten-acre Woodinville plot or preserved in the hotel’s root cellar, and artisan ingredients and transforms them into memorable meals brimming with natural flavors. Special touches like pickled tomatoes are brought to the table to savor, just a hint of the rustic and inventive style that is uniquely his. You won’t be disappointed.

Across the road from Chateau Ste. Michelle is Willows Lodge, an elegant wine country inn. With quintessential Northwest architecture and interiors, spacious rooms overlook lush grounds that include a formal herb garden and Fireside Cellars Patio complete with a fire pit—perfect for gathering around at Happy Hour after a long soak in an oversized tub for two.

You may have trouble parting with your fluffy bathrobe in order to get dressed for dinner at The Barking Frog, but it’s definitely worth the effort. Chef Bobby Moore has cooked at the James Beard House and offers guests a seasonally updated menu that pairs marvelously with his eclectic wine list. Start dinner with Moore’s Grand Marnier Prawns—so good they never go off the menu.

Still within the Willows compound is a restaurant perfect for a special anniversary or birthday. National Geographic named The Herbfarm Restaurant “The No. 1 Destination Restaurant in the World,” and it’s always a dining adventure, with changing themes that may require, for example, that all courses be made with wild mushrooms, or sourced from no farther than 150 miles.

There’s much to do and see in Woodinville apart from winery visits. If you love handcrafted beer, a tour and pub lunch at Redhook Ale Brewery is worth a stop. Just up the street is 15-acre Molbak’s Nursery, the Northwest’s gardening mecca. If you want to learn more about pairing food with wine, get hands-on experience in a half-day cooking class at Woodhouse Family Cellars.

When you’re ready to taste wines, ask your concierge at either hotel for a map of choices. The selection of wineries is diverse in Woodinville, but warm hospitality and wonderful wines await you at all. See the sidebar for some of my favorites, and visit www.woodinvillewinecountry.com to find out more about the area.

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Growing Roses

Growing Roses, some helpful tips for beautiful blooms

Written by Robyn Roehm Cannon

For centuries, the ubiquitous rose has been loved and desired more than any other flower. This simple and fragrant bloom that comes in every color of the rainbow has inspired poets and lovers—and it has both charmed and frustrated many a gardener.

A common myth is that roses are fussy and hard to grow. But, thanks to today’s improved hybrids—sturdy varieties that bloom repeatedly and resist disease—the rose is one of the easiest flowers to propagate. So if you’ve ever wanted to grow beautiful roses but haven’t added them to your garden because you didn’t believe you had the skills, read on—and think again! By following a few simple tips, you’ll soon share armloads of blooms with your friends and neighbors and fill your home with luscious, intoxicating scents.

There are three simple basics to remember: First, roses need at least six—and preferably eight—hours of sun each day. Second, roses prefer rich, loamy soil. Third, roses need to be watered frequently, but they cannot stand in water, even during the winter when they are dormant. Good drainage, airflow, and ventilation are essential for healthy plants.

There are many types of roses, so take a look at your garden and choose ones that are right for your climate. Floribundas are easier to care for than hybrid teas and produce large clusters of blooms from June until severe frost hits. They are great for mass plantings and most are very fragrant. Hybrid Tea Roses come in a wide variety of colors and most are fragrant. They are everblooming if you deadhead the spent flowers, and they make perfect centerpieces or bouquets with their large, spectacular blooms. Grandifloras are perfect for beginner rose growers, because they quickly grow heavy foliage and profuse blooms. Climbing Roses produce very little growth from the base and need a trellis in order to thrive. Creeping Roses or Groundcover Roses are extremely hardy and do very well in extremely cold climates. They can be cut back severely to bloom again and again.

When to Plant

If your winter temperatures stay above 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you can plant your roses when it is cool outside and they are dormant. But if you live where the thermometer plunges below zero, wait until the ground is thawed and warm in the early spring and there is no chance of frost.

Where to Plant

The best location is one that receives filtered morning sunlight. The early light is gentler and allows the dew to burn off early in the day, which prevents leaf mold and other diseases. Give your plants lots of space to flourish—3 feet apart will give you the best results. Climbers require at least 6 feet of space to keep the roses from overtaking one another.

Soil and Fertilizers

If you grow grass, annuals, or perennials, you already have the mineral-rich soil that you need. Surprisingly, if you have rocky soil, your roses will be happy—the rocks give excellent drainage. Be sure to add compost or peat moss to the hole when planting. If you are creating a garden dedicated to roses, spread your fertilizer at the rate of 4 pounds per 100 square feet. Then check with your local nursery for good recommendations on the fertilizers you’ll need throughout the year to increase the nitrogen, sodium, and potash levels in your soil. You’ll want to fertilize twice during the growing season: once in the spring after the first growth and again in mid-summer. Never fertilize in the fall, as plants are preparing to go dormant.

Successful Planting

Rose roots don’t like to be cramped, so dig your hole so the roots can stretch to their full length. If they are bare root plants, soak them in lukewarm water overnight to fully hydrate before planting. Trim away any broken or damaged roots and spread the roots in the hole. If you live in a four-season climate, bury the graft knob of the plant 1 inch below the ground, or in a warmer climate, plant the graft knob 1 inch above ground. Tamp down the soil all around the roots. Water well and allow the water to soak into the tamped soil. Add more soil to cover the roots even with the ground. Leaving a half inch of stem above any bud formation and using an angled cut, prune the rose branches back to 6 inches. Use a sterile and very sharp pruning shear, and dip it in bleach water between cuts. Treat the ends of the cuts with wound compound to aid in healing. If you do plant in the fall, pile straw around the roots, to 1 foot in depth. In the spring, remove the straw after all danger of frost has passed.

When, How, and Where to Cut

Never prune your roses in the winter. Instead, wait until spring when you see signs of new growth, and prune back all the dead branches. Cut out the stragglers that grow very long, deadhead any spent flowers during the growing season, and always cut roses in the early morning when moisture level and sugar content are the highest. Cut 1 inch above a five-leafed cluster at an outward-facing angle to encourage strong and repeated blooms.

Growing roses can be a gratifying experience. Relax and enjoy the gorgeous flowers that spring forth from your efforts, and remember to stop and smell the roses.

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Tips from Green Meadows Landscaping

Saving money on flower color! Flowers make a colorful impact on your landscape.You can save money by taking a few simple steps: Read labels carefully for full sun or shade tolerant plants.  If the label says partial sun or shade do not plant in afternoon sun.  A few hours of sun from noon-4:00 is enough to burn tender flower color. Our afternoon sun is should be regarded as full sun when planting flowers. Choose perennials – they come back year after year.  Limit the size of your annual flower color beds by planting perennials as a backdrop.  Lots of perennials attract butterflies and humming birds.  Most bell shaped flowers attract hummingbirds.  Create splashes of color for a more dramatic impact than a continuous hedge of flower color.  Annual Flowers generally bloom from Spring until Fall.  Fertilize once a month to encourage continuous blooms throughout the growing season..  Plant annuals as a border in front of a perennial garden to create focal points in your landscape.

 WINTER DAMAGE

Freeze burn looks bad, but does mean a dead plant.  Wait until April to see if your plants and schrubs flush back out.  You can also take your fingernail and rub part of the branch to see if there is green underneath.  Tender shrubs to watch for include hawthorns, pittosporums, confederate jasmine, boxwooes, and chinese fringe.  Tender perennials may not come back afterour last few freezes including lantana, daisies, and ornamental grasses.

Not Sure?

Call our office 972.492.5495 or email us at sales@GreenMeadowsLandscaping.com

As My Garden Grows…

 

Bagging or Mulching your lawn clippings?    Mulching your clippings prevents waste going into our landfills.  It also puts nutrients back into your lawn, as the grass decomposes feeding your lawn.  A mulcher is a small attachment that can be added to your mower that allows you to mulch the grass clippings as you mow spreading those clippings back into the lawn, or you may use a mulching blade.  If you have lawn burs or lots of flowering weeds bag instead of mulch, mulching can multiply the problem.  Need help getting weeds under control? Give our office a call. Green Meadows Landscaping | Lewisville  TX 75056 | 972.492.5495 | www.GreenMeadowsLandscaping.com

Perfection Achieved

When houseguests enter George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg’s Toronto home, they have an immediate choice to make: head upstairs or down. But no matter which direction they travel, visitors are instantly captivated by the home’s most interesting architectural element, a series of floor-to-ceiling windows that runs the width of the back of the home and overlooks a spacious, tree-shaded deck. “This architectural redesign of the back part of the house highlights the scenic view,” says Pushelberg. “With these windows, we are able to elaborate on the outside beauty, whereas typically much of design is focused on the interior of a home.”

The home’s classic, clean-lined design is typical of Yabu and Pushelberg’s style and exemplary of the work they do through their internationally renowned interior design firm, Yabu Pushelberg. The partners founded the firm in 1980 and now have offices in New York City, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. Each of their projects—whether a specialized retail space, a hotel, a restaurant, or their own home—showcases their talents for experimenting with new materials to create original interiors that defy design type and transcend trendiness.

When working on a personal project like this three-story Canada residence, the duo brings the same design sensibilities to the table. “We make sure to approach all our recent projects in a smart, effective, and timeless way, opting for classic and clear looks as opposed to those of the recent over-styled, complicated design projects,” says Pushelberg.

Part of their approach in designing their 3,000-square-foot home in Toronto’s residential Bennington Heights neighborhood was to invite the outside environment in whenever possible. “Our residence in Bennington Heights is settled within a beautiful wooded area with a running stream that interlaces between our backyard and the surrounding greenery,” says Pushelberg. “The house resembles much of what the environment reflects. We wanted to bring in as much of the natural light and forest ravine as we could, so we decided to use natural grays, dark hunter greens, and soft tones through the living spaces, with wood accents to integrate the outdoors.”

But Yabu and Pushelberg also wanted to ensure their comfort and privacy as homeowners through their design. So they left the front part of the original home untouched and edited the structure of the building’s back side. Here, they replaced the walls with floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the sunlight to flow easily throughout the white-walled home while still maintaining the privacy they desired.

The natural white walls and gentle outdoor light also worked in the designers’ favor by providing an ideal environment to showcase their contemporary art collection. After arranging the furniture in a given room, the couple decided upon the style of art they desired for the room and found a placement that fit the room’s layout and mood. In the living spaces where wall space was not as limited as it was in other rooms, they highlighted modern, dramatic, and abstract pieces from their collection. Then they incorporated pieces like mirrors, portraits, and framed art into the mix to create a calming aesthetic and a balance within their collection.The furniture in each space complements the art and adds personality to the home without detracting from the serene outdoor landscape. Many of the pieces were gathered on the couple’s international travels and selected for longevity and comfort. Yabu and Pushelberg were also drawn to pieces that created an eye-catching composition and those that utilized materials that replicated the home’s exteriors and outdoor environment inside the residence. “For instance, we used mahogany and rosewood leather to accent the furnishings while including the natural color palette,” says Pushelberg.

The home’s clean lines, luxe furniture, and intriguing art collection have come together to create a modern ‘60s-style residence that’s as close to perfection in a project as the
partners have come.

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Simplify your gardening this year!

Green Meadows Landscaping Spring ’11 Simplify your gardening this year!  Order your flowers and Green Meadows Landscaping will plant them for you. Annual flowers give a consistent showing of color throughout the growing season.  Choices include flowers for both full sun and shaded areas.  Prices include planting. Browse through the choices of colors and mulch.  Reply back to us with the flower type, color and quantity including mulch choices/amount.  If you have questions please do not hesitate to call our office. Sincerely, Jeff & Kronda Thimesch Green Meadows Landscaping, Inc. office: 972-492-5495 Begonias Red, Pink, White, and Mix Begonias are steady performers and do surprising well in our Texas heat.  Fertilizing with Super Bloom increases flower color throughout the growing season.  12-18″ in height $30.00 per flat

Moss Rose Mixed Colors Moss Rose are very drought tolerant.  Enjoy hot summers and do well as a border.  4-6″ in height $30 per flat

Pentas Pink, White, Red, or Violet Pentas attract butterflies!  Do well as a border. 8-12″ in height $45 per flat

Lantana Yellow, Orange, or Confetti (pink & yellow) Lantana attracts butterflies and other wildlife!  Can be perennial depending on our winters.  12-24″ in height. $45 per flat

Impatiens Dark Pink, Light Pink, White, Red, Orange & Mix Impatiens can only be planted in the shade or locations which only get morning sun.  Fertilizing with Super Bloom increases flower color throughout the growing season.  Height 18-24″ $30 per flat

Purple Verbena Purple Verbena attracts butterflies and other wildlife!  Verbenas are drought tolerant and can be planted as a border.  4-6″ in height $50 per flat

Potato Vine Yellow Potato vine makes an excellent ground cover.  6″ in height and 3-5′ spread.  Does extremely well during our hot summers. $65 per flat

Coleus Yellow, Green, Burgundy, Yellow/Red Coleus makes a dramatic statement when planted in front of evergreen shrubs performing well through our hot summers. Plant in full sun or partial shade.  18-24″ in height $45 a flat

Caladiums Pink, Green/Burgundy, Yellow/Red Caladiums are perfect for shady areas.  Their brightly colored leaves add a splash of color to any landscape.  18-24″ in height $60 per flat

Hibiscus Yellow, Red, Pink, Orange Hibiscus give a tropical feel to your landscape with dark green leaves and deep colors.  Full sun.  Height 3′ $35 per 3 gallon plant

Hardwood Mulch Dark Colored The dark color blends in well with the soil to give a natural look. Mulch should be 2-3″ think to provide insulation from our temperatures, and limit evaporation of water.  Generally use 1 bag of mulch per 2 flats of flower color. $6 per 2 cubic ft bag

Cedar Mulch Light Colored Cedar mulch naturally deters insects.  The light color provides a clean look to your landscape.  Generally use 1 bag of mulch per 2 flats of flower color. $6 per 2 cubic ft bag

Curve Appeal

CURVE APPEAL

A Rounded Room Takes a Scenic Setting to a New Dimension

Written by Jeanine Matlow

It’s not every day a designer gets to tackle a living room with a semicircular wall. But this wasn’t a first for Lori Carroll. “Most of the architects I work with in Tucson use a lot of curves in their designs to maximize the benefits of the home’s location, adjacent views, and natural light,” says the interior designer, who is the owner of Lori Carroll & Associates, in Tucson, Arizona. “Since there is no real starting or stopping place when using curves and arcs, I have to be resourceful when looking for furnishings that will fit the space.”

Taking her design cues from the existing architectural elements in the room wasn’t the only objective. As Carroll explains, her clients had specific goals in mind as well. “They wanted to introduce interior design elements that would complement the incredible architecture, find materials and finishes that would blend with the surroundings, and create a relaxing place to enjoy the spectacular desert views,” she says.

Carroll calls the end result “Southwest contemporary.” The style features contemporary lines mixed with a little bit more rustic elements, she says. Though everything in the sophisticated space is striking, the designer was careful not to upstage the leading role of the breathtaking views.

Because of the unique scale and radius of the room, everything was custom made. The distinctive details include a customized American handcrafted wool area rug, an arced iron and wood console table, a sofa built in three curved sections, and a series of oxidized metal cylinders that act as cocktail tables for the space.

The color scheme was given careful consideration, too. “With such amazing views from the floor-to-ceiling windows, I wanted to keep the colors simple yet appealing,” Carroll says. In keeping with the Southwest contemporary theme, the designer describes the neutral palette of brown, tan, and gold as “natural desert landscape.”

In the process, she proves you don’t need color to make a statement. “I love how even with the subdued color scheme and minimal furnishings in the living room, everything came together to convey a beautiful and luxurious feeling,” the designer says. “The fireplace is really a masterpiece. The architect came up with the wedge concept as part of the architectural plan, and I had a local artisan cover the fascia with metal.”

A masterful mix of magnificent materials adds layers of dimension with limestone floors, textured “falling water” stacked stone walls, and beech cabinetry in the understated space that serves as a refuge for her clients. “Since this is their second home, the main goal was to create a quiet retreat where they could relax and watch television, read a book, or view the vivid Arizona sunsets from the row of windows,” Carroll says.

The designer wanted to mirror the curve of the window wall with the media unit, sectional, and sofa table. “Luckily, I have access to manufacturers and craftsmen who can produce things exactly as I envision them,” she says. “Each of the furniture pieces started as a paper template, then was painstakingly designed and drawn into the floor plan to assure complete accuracy.”

Carroll managed to turn a potential problem into an award-winning solution. “The large scale of the sectional with its distinct curvature was a challenge when looking for a sofa table,” she explains. “I called a local metal worker and cabinet shop, and together we came up with this unique console.” The table ended up winning an ASID product design award.

The sumptuous space remains soft spoken, revealing its message of elegance without shouting for attention. As Carroll explains, she is definitely not a high-drama designer, especially in this home, where the architecture speaks for itself. “My job was to bring in unique yet classic elements that would enhance, not detract, from the structure itself,” she says.

It’s refreshing to know that the seasoned designer still finds herself discovering things along the way. “Even after almost thirty years of interior design, I learn something on every project,” Carroll says. “This one taught me that imagination, patience, and a good rapport among architect, client, craftspeople, and me is invaluable.”

Carroll was especially pleased with the overall results of this project, and she says her clients were happy with the casual comfort she was able to achieve in their living room. “This was a dream project,” she says. “Working with a great architect, skilled contractor, and perceptive clients who knew exactly what they wanted but were open to ideas shows throughout every corner of this beautiful custom home.”

http://www.homebydesign.com/pages/article/HBD_OCT_10_01/270175/index.html

Suzanne Campbell of SOUTHWEST FUNDING AMONG FIRST TO PARTICIPATE IN NEW MILITARY LENDER EDUCATION PROGRAM

Suzanne Campbell of SOUTHWEST FUNDING  AMONG FIRST TO PARTICIPATE IN NEW MILITARY LENDER EDUCATION PROGRAM

Course aims to educate the banking community on the unique circumstances of the military homebuyer

In the Dallas Fort Worth Texas area USA Cares has launched a new education course designed to provide loan officers, realtors and housing counselors with a clear understanding of how to work with military clients. Southwest Funding LP  is pleased to have a graduate, Suzanne Campbell of this new program and be among the first lenders to offer this level of expert customer service to military men and women. Through the USA Cares Military Family Housing Lender Education Program – accessed online at www.usacares.org – the Participating Lender Course provides the tools and knowledge needed to effectively work with military borrowers, especially in a fast-paced and competitive market. It also includes timely advice for housing professionals regarding foreclosure prevention, with tips they can give their clients to help them avoid mortgage delinquencies in the future.

“This course aims to put greater numbers of military families into affordable homes through knowledgeable lenders who understand the unique circumstances brought about by military service” remarked USA Cares Executive Director Bill Nelson.

The course’s author, Beverly Ray Frase, has a strong background as loan officer, real estate broker and career army wife.  “I’ve been on all sides of the home buying process,” says Beverly.  “I know where the speed bumps are, especially for our military men and women.  Working with a certified Participating Lender should move them down the path to an accurate and timely closing.”

The course helps lenders makes sense of the military language, rank and pay system. It even outlines what happens when a service member is injured, and explains how their pay will continue during hospitalization and treatment. Earning the Certificate of Completion for the Participating Lender Course indicates a significant knowledge base that active duty service

members and veterans can rely on for prompt and accurate service of their housing needs. Certified Participating Lenders & Realtors will adhere to specific Standards of Practice, representing a commitment to provide quality service to military borrowers.

USA Cares is no stranger to supporting the homeownership goals of military families. “We’ve paid out over one million dollars to save military family homes from foreclosure in the past three years,” said Jennifer Robinson, USA Cares Director of Assistance. “This new effort will help reduce the need for such assistance by supporting military borrowers and their lenders as they work together to make affordable and sustainable housing decisions.”

About  Southwest Funding LP

Southwest Funding is a full-service Mortgage Banker and Broker. We are based in Dallas. While many mortgage companies have been forced to downsize in the current lending environment, Southwest Funding is growing by leaps and bounds! Why? Because our client’s continue to tell their friends and families!

About USA Cares

USA Cares is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that helps post 9/11 military families bear the burdens of service with financial and advocacy support. Its mission: To help with basic needs during financial crisis, to assist combat injured Veterans and their families and to prevent private military home foreclosures and evictions. In six years, USA Cares has received over 21,000 requests and responded with more than $6.7 million in grants. Military families anywhere in America can apply for assistance through the USA Cares web site, http://www.usacares.org/ or by calling 1-800-773-0387. For more information on USA Cares contact John Revell, jrevell@usacares.org or call (270) 352-5451 x101. For more information on the MFHLEP Participating Lender Course go to the USA Cares website or email Beverly.frase@usacares.org.

End

Early American Beauty

When Brian and Barbara Brady started approaching retirement, the couple decided they wanted to look into building a home in upstate New York, where they’d lived for almost all of their thirty-seven years of marriage. Having always lived in older homes—including a circa-1904 shingle house and a carriage house, both in Saratoga Springs—the Bradys were drawn to Colonial-style properties. With each house, the couple would renovate the home, live there for a few years, and then move on to the next project. But when they thought about what their retirement home would be like, they imagined hanging up their renovation hats and instead building the home of their dreams.

“We looked for a long time for properties,” says Barbara of the couple’s initial search of about sixty homes. But after running into an old acquaintance who had a friend looking to sell land in the countryside in nearby Delanson, the Bradys put their search on hold to take a look at the property. Immediately, they were smitten. The ten acres of rural farmland overlooked the countryside’s rolling hills and vibrant landscape. They found the perfect spot to build their home, too: high on a hillside where it would sit in an open field set back about a hundred yards off a quiet farm road. “We absolutely loved it,” says Barbara.

After seeing a Yankee magazine article featuring Connor Homes—a construction company that designs homes based on historically accurate scale and proportions with authentic period detailing—the couple became intrigued with early-American reproduction designs. Always fascinated with architecture, Brian initially wanted to design the home himself, but without formal training he looked to architect Steve Haskell of Connor Homes to help put his dream on paper and make it come to life. Initially the Bradys envisioned a classic center hall Colonial design with an attached garage and utility wing. But after the schematic design was presented to the couple, they began to ask about ways to embellish the detailing of the house. “Brian started looking into historical precedents for detail, and we began to develop and incorporate the more elaborate trim options,” explains Haskell. The result: a Colonial Revival farmhouse that borrows from both Georgian and Federal roots. After about four months of design work, the group broke ground in spring of 2007.

Luckily, the group was not plagued by unforeseen obstacles when it came to constructing the home. Sadly, though, during the building of the property, Brian suddenly passed away before he could see his wonderful vision brought to life. Committed to the project her husband was so passionate about, Barbara forged ahead and moved into the home in June 2008. “While Brian’s passing was very tough, I now feel the house represents him and his vision,” says Haskell, who became close with the couple during the home’s construction.

The 2,300-square foot home, with three bedrooms, living and dining rooms, kitchen, library, and exercise room, is home to Barbara and her two loveable Whippets. The real showstopper of the home, says Barbara, is the screened-in porch, which boasts an outdoor fireplace and comfortable furniture overlooking the pond, which Barbara installed a couple of years after moving in. “If the sun’s out in the winter, this is where you want to be,” she says. “It also overlooks beautiful hills and open fields from the farm next door. I can only see one house from here; the rest are open fields and wooded hills. It’s just a lovely spot.”

Inside, Barbara filled the home with furniture, collectibles, and antiques that the couple had collected over the course of their marriage. “Everything in the house has a history,” says Barbara. “Grandfather clocks that belonged to cousins. A piece from the cellar of a shingle-style home we bought. We amassed things from family heirlooms or pieces that were left behind. It’s a little personal museum.” The antique interior aesthetic complements the Georgian detailing, including heavy layered cornice trim, fluted pilaster corner boards, a Palladian window and fan light windows, and a custom entry surround—all of which bring to life the style of a home in the early Federal period.

The exterior is a great example of the Colonial Revival look, as it boasts a symmetrical facade with a projecting center gable framed by fluted pilasters and pediment. The front entry, says Holly Kelton, CFO of Connor Homes, is cased with a custom fanlight and ornamental surround with fluted pilasters on the corners that support a heavy frieze, dentils, and decorative cornice at the roof, which is capped by red cedar shingles. A stone-clad foundation anchors the house naturally to the terrain, adds Kelton, and strengthens the perception of an old home.

“In a shift from the home’s Georgian roots, a single chimney was pulled to the exterior of the southern end of the home in order to support fireplaces in both the living room and the screen porch,” says Kelton. A wooden shingle roof and hemlock siding complete the look.

Now in the home for two years, Barbara loves to host and entertain family and friends. “I have a big tractor so in the summer I mow my own fields,” she says. “I do a lot of reading and listening to music. My days are more relaxed but certainly pleasantly filled.”

Sandy Luedke

Ideal Real Estate Group

214.476.1423

http://www.homebydesign.com/pages/article/HBD_OCT_10_08/270175/index.html

Jewels of the Garden

Each year at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show held in Seattle, the nation’s best speakers and authors on gardening topics gather to inspire, educate, entertain, and encourage show-goers to try new things during the upcoming gardening season.

So it was with an eye toward learning more about gardening with hundreds of varieties of succulents that I attended award-winning garden writer Debra Lee Baldwin’s presentation on her new book, Succulent Container Gardens: Design Eye-Catching Displays with 350 Easy-Care Plants.

Many clients for whom I design residential gardens wish to lower their care and water requirements or have restricted space on small patios or decks. So this seemed like a perfect way to answer their concerns, while bringing lively plant combinations together with beautiful containers, offering all the pleasures of in-ground gardening at a more relaxed pace.

“If you are time stressed, are frequently away from home, or have limited mobility, succulents enable you to garden on your own terms,” comments Baldwin. She no longer bothers neighbors to tend her container gardens while she is away because succulents can easily survive several weeks without any attention whatsoever! If all this sounds like a gardener’s dream, read on, because there are so many options available with succulent varieties. “Overall,” Baldwin says, “I’ve found no other plants to be as trouble-free.”

Not everyone is as fortunate as Baldwin, who gardens in southern California’s balmy USDA zone 10, which is one of the reasons she wrote this colorfully photographed book on container gardens.

“Readers of my first book, Designing with Succulents, have shown me that people everywhere are eager to grow these easy-care plants,” says Baldwin. “But many beautiful succulents—such as kalanchoes from Madagascar, aeoniums from the Canary Islands, and Haworthias from South Africa—are frost tender and thrive outdoors year-round only in zones 9 and 10. Container culture offers an ideal solution: anyone, anywhere, can grow succulents in pots, which can be sheltered indoors.” Also, gardening in containers allows you to take your treasured specimens with you, should you move to another home one day.

Baldwin’s book is neatly divided into four parts to take you from novice to seasoned enthusiast. In Part One, you’ll learn how to select containers that will enhance the wide variety of sculptural, strongly designed leaf shapes offered by this genus. Part Two presents a specialized palette of more than one hundred genera, 275 species, and ninety varieties of succulents that are perfect for growing in containers.

Part Three showcases unusual ways that designers use succulents, from patio groupings, wreaths, and topiaries to vertical gardens hung on walls like living art canvases. Part Four is dedicated to the care and feeding of succulent gardens, including information on judicious watering, overwintering, recognizing pests, and how to take cuttings and start seeds to share the joy of succulents with garden-loving friends.

Below are some highlights from this inspiring book, a valuable addition to any library whose owner has interest in working with unusual plants in creative ways:

• Apply the principles of contrast and repetition for remarkable results. One agave in a pot is fine, but there’s architectural strength and beauty in numbers. Think about building a dramatic garden wall with twenty or more of the same plants in the same type of pot, each held in place with decorative metal potholders.

• Evaluate a succulent for its defining characteristics—color, form, and leaf texture—and keep them in mind as you shop for a pot. For example, a blue-green pot for Aloe brevifolia would repeat the aloe coloration, while an orange-red pot would contrast with it. Anticipate a plant’s flowers, too. The same Aloe brevifolia has orange blooms, so that orange pot will repeat the bloom color at certain times of the year.

• Pair tall, columnar succulents with loose, trailing plants. Sansevierias, commonly known as “mother in law’s tongue,” and sprawling Sedum burrito make excellent companions in graceful vase-shaped urns set atop classical iron stands.

• Strawberry jars make wonderful pots for sedums, Graptopetalums, sempervivums, and other trailers. Or plant solely with the compact Echeveria elegans and make the pot the focal point of your garden.

• Succulents are slow growing, so don’t make the mistake of planting a number of small four-inch pots with too much space into a large decorative container. It will look oddly out of scale. Instead, use a variety of leaf sizes and textures, plant closely, and build a lush tapestry. You can always transplant later if the pot becomes overcrowded

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The 22nd-annual Northwest Flower & Garden Show will take place February 23-27, 2011, at the Washington State Convention Center. Everything for garden enthusiasts under one roof: colorful display gardens, garden retail and plant market, and hourly seminars by national authors and garden experts.

www.gardenshow.com

Entertaining at Home with Ease

Entertaining at Home with Ease

 

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