Home and Garden Tips: 2009

Thursday, December 31, 2009

“Wreaths with a twist - Los Angeles Times”

Wreaths with a twist - Los Angeles Times

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 07:33 PM PST

For my money, at $9.99, the best wreath deal in town is Trader Joe's basic circle of fresh-cut greenery. I like to embellish the Noble fir boughs with my own ribbons and baubles to make it look pricey and custom-made.

This year, though, several creative alternatives have captured my imagination.

Hanging the Peace on Earth wreath, above, from Gardener's Supply Co. seems like a larger holiday gesture. I love that this enduring symbol can double as a holiday wreath. It is made on a rural Vermont farm using fresh-cut balsam fir hand-tied on a metal frame, $34.95 (18-inch) or $44.95 (24-inch) plus shipping.

Southern California's not-so-wintry climate is ideal for an elegant tillandsia wreath, top right. Made-to-order by Cactus Jungle Nursery and Garden in Berkeley, the 14-inch design contains hundreds of tiny air plants (also called Tillandsia). It costs $156 plus shipping.

You can keep this living wreath outdoors year-round in Southern California. Mist the plants weekly (more often in summer) and display out of direct sunlight.

Wreaths Unlimited, from Patterson Creek Co. near Mt. Shasta, sells lots of gorgeous wreaths made from fresh-cut evergreen and dried floral ingredients. But I especially adore this green snowflake, lower right, made of fresh shore pine accented with Douglas fir cones. It measures 18 inches and costs $41.95 plus shipping.

Let there be wreaths on Earth!

-- Debra Prinzing

Photo credits: Garden Supply co., Cactus Jungle, Patterson Creek

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

“Attack of the killer tomatoes? - Tahlequah Daily Press”

Attack of the killer tomatoes? - Tahlequah Daily Press

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 08:58 AM PST

Published December 29, 2009 10:54 am - Dec. 29, 2009

Attack of the killer tomatoes?
But the threat of voracious veggies, even if real, shouldn't affect humans.

By BETTY RIDGE
Press Special Writer

By BETTY RIDGE

Press Special Writer

Almost everyone has heard tales about, or witnessed, carnivorous plants such as the Venus flytrap or pitcher plant.

And who could forget the movie, "Little Shop of Horrors," in which a particularly aggressive plant tended to gobble up humans?

But most of the time, people think of plants as the prey rather than the hunted, the consumed rather than the consumers.

Not necessarily so, according to research by scientists at London's Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. The Independent, a London publication, reports in its science section that these plant probers theorize hundreds more plants than previously known can catch and eat insects and other small animals.

Among the suspects are the usually mild-mannered tomatoes and potatoes. Also in the lineup is a type of petunia, ornamental tobacco, and shepherd's purse, which is related to cabbage.

With tomatoes and potatoes being vital to most diets, people usually think of eating them, rather than them eating something.

"Widely recognized carnivorous plants number some 650, and we estimate that another 325 or so are probable additions — an increase of about 50 percent," said Dr. Mike Fay of Kew.

Fay and his colleagues performed the research as part of an anniversary of Charles Darwin's 200th birthday. Darwin conducted many experiments with carnivorous plants, feeding them meat, and published a book, "Insectivorous Plants," in 1875.

Obviously, for Darwin and later researchers, the concept of survival of the fittest took some unexpected turns.

Fay said these plants' lust for a more varied diet probably has been overlooked because they do not have specialized structures to capture and devour their prey, such as those possessed by the Venus flytrap and the pitcher plant. The tomato and potato are more likely to regard meat – if insects may be so termed – as a supplement rather than a dietary mainstay.

Anyway, here's how it works: As gardeners who have raised these crops know, they possess sticky hairs on their stems and leaves. These hairs trap aphids and other small creatures. The scientists believe the plants derive nutrition from these beasties when they become stuck, die, decay, and fall to the ground. The plant then absorbs the nutrients that enter the earth.

"They catch little aphids on the sticky hairs all the time. As these insects break down and drop to the ground, the ground becomes enriched and the plants absorb them through the roots," Fay said.

The scientists concluded that while the plants may gain some nutrition from the decomposed bugs, they do not rely on it because most gardeners supply them with ample fertilizer.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

“Wreaths with a twist - Los Angeles Times”

Wreaths with a twist - Los Angeles Times

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 07:33 PM PST

This year, though, several creative alternatives have captured my imagination.

You can keep this living wreath outdoors year-round in Southern California. Mist the plants weekly (more often in summer) and display out of direct sunlight.

Let there be wreaths on Earth!

-- Debra Prinzing

Photo credits: Garden Supply co., Cactus Jungle, Patterson Creek

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Friday, December 25, 2009

“Consider practicality when purchasing last-minute gifts for gardeners - Danbury News Times” plus 1 more

Consider practicality when purchasing last-minute gifts for gardeners - Danbury News Times

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 12:06 PM PST

Your favorite gardener may not be digging in the dirt these days, but it's a sure bet he or she is dreaming of presents that will permit such happy play come April. Want to help make their wishes come true? Consider gifting the following:

l Birdhouses and birdseed. Why, you may ask, are presents for the birds important for the gardener? Here's a few reasons: Not only do our feathered friends add color, sound, movement and interest to our yards, but they are also nature's best foe of insect pests. If you provide suet and seed for birds -- such as woodpeckers and wrens -- in the depths of winter, they'll stick around come the breezes of spring, to make their nests and raise their young in your domain. And they'll gobble their weight in mosquitoes, aphids and beetles when they do. Look for practical birdhouses and an endless supply of seed at Agway in Danbury, Bethel and New Milford.

l Seed trays and lights. It's difficult to believe with the days so short, but in another couple of months, it'll be time to set up the seed-starting equipment. Might as well be prepared. Lay in a supply of seedling trays, soilless mix and lights. A gift certificate to Gardener's Supply can assist. www.gardeners.org.

l Hand soaps and lotions: Good old-fashioned Lava soap, yep, that square- packaged, red-papered pumiced soap, can't be surpassed for getting out ingrained garden grime. Look for it at the grocery store. Bag Balm, which was invented to relieve, um, bovine udder discomfort, is matchless for repairing dried-out digits. However, if you want to get upscale and persnickety, try Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Therapy cream, pricy but fabulous, and available at the Crabtree & Evelyn store at the mall.

l Garden journals. A necessity for the new year. I like mine with lots of space, 300 pages or so, and a minimum of frippery. `Course, I also use it to keep track of my weight, jot favorite words, sorrow over how much money I've lost in the stock market, etc. Mostly my annual journals serve as a reminder of chores to be done, plants to try, and gardens to visit, as well as sowing times, weather vagaries, and my planting successes and failures.

However, your favorite gardener's horticultural toy box may be already full. If so, think about donating to these worthy causes in their name:

l Heifer Project, www.heifer.org, is an international organization which emphasizes sustainable agriculture and farming self-help. Donors choose agricultural gifts (and training) such as chickens, goats or bees to help families become self-sufficient. Recipients are expected to share the bounty when the heifer calves and the bees swarm.

l Plant a Row for the Hungry, sponsored by the Garden Writers of America, www.gardenwriters.org, exists to encourage gardeners to plant an extra row of produce each year and bestow the surplus on food banks, soup kitchens and local social service organizations.

Experience teaches that the best gifts are from the heart. If you know your gardener's heart, check out these ideas.

Does your group need a speaker? Colleen Plimpton is available to present informative, humorous lectures on a wide variety of gardening and landscape topics. Contact her at colleenplimpton@yahoo.com for details.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Gardening: Gifts for that special gardener - Green Valley News

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 01:43 PM PST

There are so many choices, you can't be stumped about what to give your favorite gardener. Besides area nurseries and garden centers, there are many ideas from Web sites and catalogs.

Among favorite catalog/Web sites are "Plow & Hearth," "Gardener's Supply Company," and "Smith & Hawken."

New, ergonomically designed tools, clever and colorful watering cans, countertop weather stations, dancing metal chickens and garden angels, plant supports and stands, rooting vases, and even color-changing solar outdoor lights are among the many options.

Because gardeners share their space with songbirds, there is often a special bond between them. Brightly colored ceramic or soft sculptured copper birdbaths make great gifts.

There are many bird feeder styles, shapes, and sizes, including some designed specifically for the type of bird to be attracted. Bird houses of every imaginable architectural style add decorative punch to the garden, as well as providing shelter for the birds.

A favorite for the gardener with an interest in birds might be a gift subscription to Birds & Blooms magazine. The photography of both flowers and birds in this publication make it too beautiful to ever throw away. The recipient can later share your gift by taking it to the waiting area of their doctor or dentist.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

“Vermont gardening company sold to employees - The Associated Press” plus 1 more

Vermont gardening company sold to employees - The Associated Press

Posted: 23 Dec 2009 07:10 AM PST

(AP) – 17 hours ago

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Burlington-based Gardener's Supply Co. has been sold to its employees.

The owner of the 26-year-old garden products retailer started selling shares of the company to its employees in 1987.

The company says it could have been sold to outside buyers, but employee ownership reaffirms the company's commitment to Vermont and its 250 full-time and 100 seasonal employees.

The company is privately owned and so doesn't release sales figures.

Owner and founder Will Raap says the founding mission of the company was to spread the joys of gardening.

Raap will continue to be company chairman, but he will also work on several other nonprofit and for profit initiatives.

Gardener's Supply says four of its original eight workers are still with the company.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Vermont Gardening Company Sold to Employees - ABC News

Posted: 23 Dec 2009 07:03 AM PST

Burlington-based Gardener's Supply Co. has been sold to its employees.

The owner of the 26-year-old garden products retailer started selling shares of the company to its employees in 1987.

The company says it could have been sold to outside buyers, but employee ownership reaffirms the company's commitment to Vermont and its 250 full-time and 100 seasonal employees.

The company is privately owned and so doesn't release sales figures.

Owner and founder Will Raap says the founding mission of the company was to spread the joys of gardening.

Raap will continue to be company chairman, but he will also work on several other nonprofit and for profit initiatives.

Gardener's Supply says four of its original eight workers are still with the company.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

“Employees take ownership of Gardner's Supply Co. - WCAX”

Employees take ownership of Gardner's Supply Co. - WCAX

Posted: 22 Dec 2009 09:06 AM PST

Burlington, Vermont - December 21, 2009

This was an historic day for the Gardener's Supply Company in Burlington.

The firm's 250-full-time employees officially became the owners of the company. Gardener's Supply is the latest business to officially join the growing ranks of so-called ESOP's, short for Employee Stock Ownership Program.

"Today I am very happy to announce that I have sold the majority ownership of Gardener's Supply to our employees," said founder Will Rapp.

For Gardner's Supply founder Will Raap, transferring ownership of the company he founded 27 years ago to his employees is the culmination of a dream.

"So that our company can move on as a 100-percent employee owned company," said Rapp.

The transfer could not have come at a better time for the employees. Many told us most earn livable wages of $30,000 to $45,000 at a time when other companies have cut back. They say every employee knows their efforts have an immediate impact on pay and retirement plans.

"Not only our paycheck every two weeks. It's our stock, the value of our stock. If our stock goes down, then the price of our shares go down," said employee Sherry Ceresa.

The company has two retail outlets in Vermont, one in Burlington and one is Williston. But these days most of the sales are generated through by its website. 50 employees take e-mail and phone orders from a list of $1 million customers worldwide.

Will Raap says Gardner's Supply had a great year in 2009. He projects the company will gross about $75 million, 60-percent of the sales are in the Spring and Summer. 40-percent are seasonal at this time of year.

"We're going to have probably one of our most profitable years this year," said Rapp.

Rapp says the international economic slump actually helped Gardner's Supply sales, because families are looking for ways to cut their budgets and growing their own food is one way they do it.

"The business has never been in better shape. The world has never been more in need of what we offer," said Ra pp.

That's a prospect that inspires pure excitement for the new owners who will now share 100-percent of the pie.

Brian Joyce - WCAX News

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

“Gardener's Supply wholly owned by employees - BurlingtonFreePress.com”

Gardener's Supply wholly owned by employees - BurlingtonFreePress.com

Posted: 22 Dec 2009 01:28 AM PST

Free Press Staff Report

Gardener's Supply, a Burlington-based garden products retailer, became fully employee-owned Monday.

Will Raap, founder and majority owner, began selling shares to employees through an employee stock ownership program in 1987. The program allows all employees to earn stock and share in company profits.

"I'm delighted the work we started 27 years ago will continue. Our founding mission statement was to spread the joys and rewards of gardening," Raap said. "Gardening is even more relevant today than it was when we started."

Although the company says it could have sold to outside buyers, Raap's vision is to create a business where "people, planet and profits" are equally important.

"At a time when many jobs are moving overseas or companies are being sold to large conglomerates, employee-ownership reaffirms Gardener's Supply's commitment to Vermont and its employees," the company said in a written statement.

Cindy Turcot, the company's chief operating officer, has been leading the efforts to make the company employee owned

Turcot has a 27-year history with the company and is primarily responsible for initiating the company's open-book management style and profit-sharing program. She is a nationally known expert on employee stock ownership and was the first board president of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center.

Gardener's Supply has two locations, in Williston and Burlington's Intervale.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Monday, December 21, 2009

“Garden Crusaders salute Murphy's efforts - BlueRidgeNow.com”

Garden Crusaders salute Murphy's efforts - BlueRidgeNow.com

Posted: 21 Dec 2009 01:52 AM PST

The Garden Crusader Awards, created by Gardener's Supply in 2001, recognize individuals who make a difference in their community through their passion for gardening. A Garden Crusader is a gardener who has beautified an abandoned piece of land, fed the hungry with their produce, comforted the sick, or taught about gardening or the environment.

The crusader program donates $15,000 in cash and products every year to support community gardening.

Since 1999, Murphy, a teacher and certified horticultural therapist, has been working to transform a 12-acre former nursery into Henderson County's public horticultural center. The Bullington Horticultural Center has a variety of gardens that are used to teach school-age children, as well as adults about the styles and purposes of different types of gardens. Each year Murphy reaches almost 3,000 children and 600 adults through community programs about gardening and horticulture. Murphy also has established several programs that reach out to a variety of people such as at-risk and learning-disabled youth, and elderly and disabled members of the community.

"Working hands-on with children and adults is the best way to teach them about the importance of gardening," Murphy said. "I have worked hard to create these programs, and every day I reap the benefits of that work."

Nancy Gilchrist nominated Murphy for a Garden Crusader Award because of his "dedication to teaching school children about gardening and natural science. His work with challenged youth is inspiring and educational for gardeners who learn through volunteer work and other community members."

Murphy continues to plan, design and develop public gardens, as well as to establish a curriculum for both youth and adults. His work has been an inspiration to his community and has reached many children and adults who otherwise would never have had an experience with gardening.

The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Garden Crusader Awards is June 1. The four categories are: Urban Renewal, Feeding the Hungry, Education and Restoration.

To nominate a Garden Crusader, please visit www.gardeners.com for an online nomination or e-mail crusader@gardeners.com or call 888-239-1552 to request a nomination form.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Friday, December 18, 2009

“Consider practicality when purchasing last-minute gifts for gardeners - Danbury News Times”

Consider practicality when purchasing last-minute gifts for gardeners - Danbury News Times

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 12:06 PM PST

However, your favorite gardener's horticultural toy box may be already full. If so, think about donating to these worthy causes in their name:

Experience teaches that the best gifts are from the heart. If you know your gardener's heart, check out these ideas.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

“Highlands student recognized as "Garden Crusader" national gardening award - Bayshore Courier”

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Highlands student recognized as "Garden Crusader" national gardening award - Bayshore Courier

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 01:00 PM PST

Highlands student recognized as "Garden Crusader" national gardening award
Bayshore Courier News
Posted:12/16/09

Highlands (Monmouth County, NJ) - What started as a third grade social studies class project, turned into a community garden at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Highlands, NJ, thanks to the tireless efforts of its founder, Gabriela Compagni. For all of her hard work, Compagni has been awarded an Honorable Mention in the Feeding the Hungry category of the 2009 Garden Crusader Awards.

The Garden Crusader Award, created by Gardener's Supply in 2001, recognizes individuals who make a difference in their community through their passion for gardening. A Garden Crusader is a gardener who has beautified an abandoned piece of land, fed the hungry with their produce, comforted the sick, or taught about gardening or the environment. The Crusader program donates $15,000 in cash and products every year to support community gardening.

The OLPH Community Garden was developed as a direct result of Gabriela's persistence and commitment to her idea of providing fresh produce to the needy in her community. The plot that Compagni found for the project was once an abandoned lot owned by a local parish; her commitment and persistence finally paid off as the parish pastor agreed that she could re-purpose the land for a garden plot. Compagni, her family and other community members enjoyed their first growing season in 2008 and donated the produce to the Highlands Food Pantry every week throughout the summer and the fall.

Gabriela's mother, Jennifer Compagni nominated her enterprising daughter because "Gabriela is a caring and energetic child who understands that there are needs in her immediate neighborhood, and she is dedicated to providing for those people in need."
The OLPH Community Garden continues to provide fresh produce for the Highland Food Pantry, which serves more than 70 families weekly; the garden also has started to support another food bank in an adjacent community. The garden crew has developed partnerships with two local schools and a religious education program to involve more children in the OLPH Community Garden. Compagni and her team have also added a raised bed so that senior citizens and handicapped gardeners can be a part of the community gardening experience.

The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Garden Crusader Awards is June 1, 2010. The four categories include: Urban Renewal, Feeding the Hungry, Education, and Restoration. To nominate a Garden Crusader, please visit gardeners.com for an online nomination or e-mail crusader@gardeners.com or call 1-888-239-1552 to request a nomination form.

Gardener's Supply offers everything from seed-starting supplies and garden furniture to flower supports, greenhouses, and nature and garden-inspired gifts. The company is known for its exclusive and patented products and earth-friendly approach to gardening. Found at gardeners.com or free catalogs are available by calling 1-800-955-3370.

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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

“Hoe, hoe, hoe! And other gifts for the gardener - Barre Montpelier Times Argus”

Hoe, hoe, hoe! And other gifts for the gardener - Barre Montpelier Times Argus

Posted: 06 Dec 2009 12:20 AM PST

Hoe, hoe, hoe! And other gifts for the gardener

By HENRY HOMEYER - Published: December 6, 2009

It's time again to pick the perfect present for Aunt Mabel and Uncle Melvin. If they're gardeners, the job is relatively easy. Go to your local family-run nursery and get a gift certificate good for a plant — or, better yet, three. They'll get what they want next spring and love you for it. Or get them a gardening book from your neighborhood bookstore. Local merchants need your holiday dollars much more than the big-box stores or the Internet giants.
That said, there are plenty of nice gifts from small businesses via the Web, and many can be ordered by phone if you aren't keen on Internet shopping.
One such small business is at www.GreenYankee.com. This is a site with information about gardening and how to tread lightly on the earth. It tells you everything from where to buy organic seeds to the current phase of the moon. It sells eco-friendly products, including a few of its own made in Massachusetts with recycled materials.
I got the company's garden apron made of upholstery material and like it. It will hold my pruners, a portable phone, a small notebook, my diabetes test kit, plant tags and more. Unlike most aprons, this one is guy-friendly: It has quick-release plastic fasteners so I don't have to tie a bow behind my back. Handsome and sturdy, it costs $18.95. Dec. 17 is the order deadline for delivery by Christmas. You can call David Zoffoli to get one at (978) 790-4394.
When I was a kid we had a claw-foot tub. Then we got a shower that gushed gallons of water. Later came water-saving nozzles, taking some of the fun out of scrubbing down after a day in the garden. This summer I got a nice compromise: a water-saving shower head on a flexible hose. It has five kinds of spray and introduces air into the mix to make it feel more powerful while saving water. It's part of the Evolution series, made by Oxygenics. It retails at $69.95 and may be available locally. I tested it and it used only 1.3 gallons a minute at full force. For information go to www.oxygenics.com or call (800) 344-3242.
Speaking of getting clean, my late sister, Ruth Anne, swore by a soap called Savon de Marseille after a day in the garden. A world traveler, she always bought it in France. I was recently delighted to find it for sale from Gardener's Supply, at www.gardeners.com or (800) 427-3363. It comes as a 2-1/2-inch cube of soap made from olive oil and sea products. I see they also have it in lavender. Santa? Are you listening? I want a bar. It's $9.95 for the original, $14.95 for lavender.
Also from Gardener's Supply is what seems to be the ultimate storage rack for onions, apples and winter squashes, called an Orchard Rack (Item No. 38-221). Made of rough-cut pine, it has six open, ventilated drawers. The whole thing is 40 inches tall. It costs $99.95 plus $20 shipping. I have just the spot for one of those, Santa. I've been good, too.
Books are good gifts. I favor practical books, books I can learn from. Lee Reich's new book, "Landscaping with Fruit," is one of those. He includes fruits like juneberry, also known as serviceberry, shadbush or saskatoon (Amelanchier spp.). He tells which species and which named cultivars are best for fruit, and which for their early spring blossoms. Each fruit gets three pages or more including information on hardiness, pollination requirements, season of interest, growth habits and growing tips. I learned so much in 15 minutes that I will have to get a copy; it's $19.95 in paper, $30 hardback.
Coffee table books generally don't do much for me, but Anna Pavord's "Bulb" is a combination of photos and great information. It's an encyclopedia of all the bulb plants. I love it because it has practical advice and wonderfully lyrical prose: She says of the martagon lily, for example, "it smells worse than a foxes den. But the martagon has a wonderfully wild soul and looks glorious at the edge of the garden ..." She tells you plant hardiness and soil requirements and adds suggestions for perennials to plant with some of these bulbs. It will help me to expand my palette of bulb plants. The book costs $39.95 in hardback.
Tools are good gifts. Go to your local garden center and get an inexpensive folding pruning saw. Everyone needs a spare. Or get a pair of bypass loppers with gears. Fiskars is a manufacturer that makes three sizes, and I have them all. They're lightweight but strong. The gears make cutting through bigger hardwood limbs easy. They're available locally or from Gardener's Supply; prices range from $33 to $60.
I've mentioned the CobraHead weeder before because it is the best weeding tool I've ever tested. I always keep two handy. They may be available locally, or can be bough for $24.95 at www.CobraHead.com or (866) 962-6272.
And of course I have three books in print. "Notes from the Garden," "The Vermont Gardener's Companion" and "The New Hampshire Gardener's Companion" are inexpensive, useful gifts. They're available locally or from me at www.Gardening-Guy.com.
Quality time with loved ones can be the greatest gift of all. Whatever you give, include a certificate good for a couple of hours of weeding. And then remember to do it next spring — without being asked!
Henry Homeyer lives in Cornish Flat, N.H.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

Sunday, December 13, 2009

“Briefs: Santa Land event set at Sun Splash - The News-Press”

Briefs: Santa Land event set at Sun Splash - The News-Press

Posted: 12 Dec 2009 10:16 PM PST

Santa Land, a holiday event presented by the Cape Coral Parks & Recreation Department, will be from 5 to 11 p.m. Dec. 18-23 at Sun Splash Family Waterpark.

The event will feature sleigh rides, Waltzing Waters, photos with Santa, rides for children, crafts and food and beverages.

Admission cost is $2.

Proceeds will benefit The Sunshine Kids.

Cheer program set for Monday

Paradise Cheer half-year All-Star cheer placements will take place at 6 p.m. Monday at Paradise Cheer, 915 S.E. 14th Place, in Cape Coral.

For more information, call 573-4247 or visit www.paradisecheer.com.

Local gardener 3rd in competition

Cape Coral resident Joe Mallon recently placed third in the Gardener's Supply National Gardening Contest that honors people who improve the world through gardening.

The Garden Crusader Awards started in 2001 with a record number of entries this year.

Mallon led a team of students to restore an area of a local beach.

To learn more about the Garden Crusader program go to www.gardeners.com.

New shoe store opens at Tarpon

She Sells Shoes is now open at The Promenade at The Resort at MarinaVillage inside Tarpon Point.

She Sells Shoes is a retail store offering a variety of sandals embellished with rhinestones, beading, natural seashells and bling. The store carries Grandco Sandals, Woodies hand painted sandals and a small line of Italian designed leather shoes for the career woman.

Other stores to open soon include Esterra Spa & Salon and the Silver King Market & Deli.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

Friday, December 11, 2009

“Wreaths with a twist - Los Angeles Times” plus 2 more

Wreaths with a twist - Los Angeles Times
Gardening: Gifts for that special gardener - Green Valley News
Cape resident wins national gardening award - Cape Coral Daily Breeze

Wreaths with a twist - Los Angeles Times

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 07:33 PM PST

This year, though, several creative alternatives have captured my imagination.

You can keep this living wreath outdoors year-round in Southern California. Mist the plants weekly (more often in summer) and display out of direct sunlight.

Let there be wreaths on Earth!

-- Debra Prinzing

Photo credits: Garden Supply co., Cactus Jungle, Patterson Creek

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

Gardening: Gifts for that special gardener - Green Valley News

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 01:43 PM PST

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

Cape resident wins national gardening award - Cape Coral Daily Breeze

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 09:21 PM PST

BURLINGTON, VT - Com-bining his dedication to teaching and his passion for the environment, Joe Mallon led a team of students to restore an area of a local beach. In recognition of his ability to motivate high schoolers to make a difference outside of the classroom, Mallon has been honored as a third place winner in the Restoration category of the 2009 Garden Crusader Awards.

Utilizing his skills as a field biologist, Mallon engaged his students to undertake a habitat restoration project where they would use mangrove plantings to stop the erosion at a local beach. The restoration team used bamboo, harvested from a local historic site, to shelter the young mangrove plantings from the high energy beach environment. By re-purposing the bamboo, Mallon and his students were able to help restore two locations at once: the local historic site and the beach.

"Getting students out of the classroom is the best way to show them that they are making an impact," Mallon said. "Restoring the local beach by re-planting mangroves was a great way to do something for the environment, and teach my students that they can make a difference."

Mallon was nominated for a Garden Crusader Award by Cherie Sukovich because, "he is a motivated environmentalist and teacher who enjoys working with children and improving the world around him."

Through this project, Mallon and his students created a lasting impact on both the environment and the community. The mangrove plants help restore the habitat of the local beach, which provides erosion control to benefit all of the species that live there. The restoration of these two sites will lead to more frequent visits to the historical site and to the beach by community members.

The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Garden Crusader Awards is June 1, 2010. The four categories include: Urban Re-newal, Feeding the Hungry, Edu-cation and Restoration. To nominate a Garden Crusader, visit www.gardeners.com for an online nomination or e-mail crusader@gardeners.com or call 1-888-239-1552 to request a nomination form.

Visit Gardener's Supply online www.gardeners.com or request a free catalog by calling 1-800-955-3370.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger