Saturday, June 28, 2008

Gardeners find ways to make the back yard the front room


By KEVIN FLAHERTY
The Morning Sun

PITTSBURG — Nancy Hurt said she wanted to make sure they had an area to entertain the family in the backyard.

It didn’t come easily. Hurt, the president of Zone 6 gardeners of Pittsburg, said her property was landlocked, meaning workers, and the Bobcat used for the haul, dragged directly through the yard.

“It was the ultimate sacrifice,” Hurt said. “It was a terrible, terrible mess.”

But in the end, Hurt wound up with a fire pit that the kids could roast marshmallows on.“It was worth it,” Hurt said. “But it took a while to get it there.”

Making a backyard a comfortable area is hardly a new chore. For years, families have been tying hammocks to trees, building decks and tossing furniture around the grill to feel at home. But a newer trend is creating an outdoor living area, designed to entertain, and, well, live.

“I think it’s picking up, sure,” Hurt said. “You’re seeing a lot more of it now, where it’s designed like it’s a part of the house, rather than a separate area. You’re seeing a full kitchen in some places, with refrigerators, and the grill. In some, you’re even seeing fireplaces.”

Zone 6 showcased two such areas on its recent Garden Tour, with the outdoor living areas built by Tom and Judy Spurgeon and Bill and Vicki Moody. Richard and Faith Coleman also have a living area that’s earned rave reviews.

Rhona Shand, who works at In The Garden Design & Landscaping, said the business had seen an increased desire in outdoor areas.“Especially with gas prices the way that they are, people have been turning backyards into vacation areas for themselves,” Shand said. “They’re like little sanctuaries.”

Shand offered several tips for building an ideal outdoor area. For one, make sure the room reflects the owner’s tastes.

“You design the interior of your house to reflect your taste, and that doesn’t change with the exterior,” Shand said. “We had a woman come in the other day who said she wasn’t sure how to decorate, how to match plants with colors. But she was so impeccably dressed. It’s like your fashion sense. Use the same thought process to match and mold everything together.”

Second, Shand said to remember the room’s function, and decorate accordingly.

Buddy Gorentz, designer for Moore’s Furniture, said to think of the outdoor area as an extension of the owner’s house. There are a variety of looks, fabrics and materials to pull the room together, from green-minded exterior rugs to acid washed concrete, paver stones and porcelain tile. On top of that, chairs made of iron or wicker will help to give options. “The big elements you need to be thinking about are fire, wind and water,” Gorentz said.

Gorentz recommended a fireplace or a fire pit for the fire element. A waterfall, hanging water wall or a fountain make use of water and helps to create pleasing sounds. Wind can be utilized either through perfectly tuned chimes or sheer fabric wrapped around a pole.

“It can really add an elegant glow to the place,” Gorentz said. “The aim is to make the room as comfortable as you can, while also communing with nature.”

Shand said it was also important to create interest in the space year-round by putting in plants for each season.

The room isn’t limited to the back, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, Hurt said one of her favorite past times is sitting out on the front porch the family added about six years ago. The Hurts hung ferns around the porch, giving an element of privacy, while also framing an entry onto the porch.

“Everybody says that it’s almost like walking into a little room,” Hurt said. “We enjoy it.”

Friday, June 27, 2008

America the Beautiful - In State Flowers

Click here to watch a 1 minute animation created using State flowers!

Happy 4th of July!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Mystery Mail

The club's treasurer, Shirley Knightly, received an unsealed envelope in the USPS mail on June 24 with nothing in it and no return address. It was address to Shirley Knightly, Zone 6 Treasurer. Does anyone know what this mail is suppose to be? Was someone trying to mail in dues? If you can solve the mystery mail, send your replies to pittsburg_gardeners@hotmail.com
 
Thank you!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Over 400 take part in Pittsburg Garden Tour

By NIKKI PATRICK
The Morning Sun

PITTSBURG — There were some surprises Saturday at the Pittsburg Garden Tour, sponsored from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. by the Zone 6 Garden Club.

“I didn’t realize so many people came out to these things,” said Kathleen Nichols, 413 W. Adams, as she greeted visitors to her garden. “They’ve been lining up here since 8 a.m.”

That’s not quite accurate, according to Maxine Conrad, 415 W. Adams, neighbor and fellow gardener.
“They actually started here around 20 minutes before 8,” she said.

Around 500 garden tour tickets were sold in advance, but planners thought that some went to people who wanted to support the club’s projects but would probably not take the tour.
That may not be accurate either.

“There have been at least 400 people here so far this morning,” said Norma Gilmore, who displayed pages of signatures in a guest book at the West Adams tour site. “Some people didn’t sign, so there have probably been more.”

Included in the guest book were signatures by visitors from Branson, Mo., Kansas City, Oswego and Lawrence. “The woman from Lawrence told me she comes to every one of these tours,” Gilmore said.

Donna Bauer came from Fort Scott to the tour. “I think every one of the seven gardens on the tour has been unique,” she said. “Probably each gardener’s personality comes out in their garden.”

Bauer is a gardener herself.

“I should be at home working in my garden now,” she said. “But not today.

Stephen Crosetto, Pittsburg, was impressed by all the hard work the gardeners did to get ready for the tour. “I work eight hours a day in my garden, but I think it would drive me crazy to get it ready for a tour.”

“It’s been interesting getting ready for the tour,” said Tom Spurgeon, 215 S. Dittman. “Last night we were dog tired, but my wife, Judy, decided she needed to make cookies for the visitors.”

Her homemade sugar cookies went so fast Saturday morning, he said, that she sent him to the store to get some packaged cookies.

The Spurgeons and their neighbors, Bill and Vicki Moody, 213 S. Dittman, feature in-ground swimming pools and outdoor living areas in their gardens.

“Both areas are quite different, but both are totally conducive to entertaining,” said Diana Kerle, tour visitor.Having family and friends enjoy the pool and yard is the main emphasis for the Spurgeons.

“I’m a people watcher, and we usually have around five teachers and 15 kids out here every day during the summer,” Mrs. Spurgeon said. “It’s just been a pleasure seeing everybody walk through our garden,” her husband added.

Other gardens included those of Andra and Brad Stefanoni, 137 Westfield Road, Patty Horgan, 1511 Woodland Drive, and JD and Shirley Messenger, 2811 California.

The tour also included a gardeners’ market at the Pritchett Pavilion in Immigrant Park. “It was especially nice to have it here, because we’re right across the street from the Farmers’ Market,” said Judi Campbell, who sold plants at the market.

Proceeds from the tour help support and fund community garden — related projects, education programs and city beautification efforts.

Gardening Buddies

By NIKKI PATRICK
The Morning Sun

PITTSBURG — It’s really nice when neighbors share an interest in gardening.

Neighbors Kathleen Nichols, 413 W. Adams, and Maxine Conrad, 415 W. Adams, have two of the seven gardens to be featured Saturday during the Pittsburg Garden Tour. Held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event has been coordinated by the Zone 6 Garden Club of Pittsburg.

“We encourage each other a lot, and give suggestions,” said Nichols, a Pittsburg State University English professor. “It’s nice to have a resource right next door.”

“Kathy is my resource,” said Conrad, who retired this year from USD 250. “Most of my friends aren’t gardeners.”

“If one of us gets a new plant, the other will be just as excited about it,” Nichols said. “That won’t be the case with our families or other friends.”

The two have been neighbors since Conrad moved in 17 years ago. She said she had no previous gardening experience. “My garden started with friends giving me starts of plants,” Conrad said. “I started small, kept expanding and now I wonder why. I can’t say I prefer or specialize in anything — I just keep adding.”

She started working with the front of her house nine years ago, and has been working with the back yard for six years.

“One unique thing is that Maxine incorporates her craft projects into her garden,” Nichols said.

“It’s just old bits and pieces of gates and things,” Conrad said. Also amongst the flowers are a child’s wagon, bicycle and old chairs.

Nichols said she has been gardening since childhood, when she stole a wild violet from a neighbor’s yard, planted it by her swing, and it lived.

She moved into her current home around 1984, and for many years worked on perennials — particular spring favorites are her pink Oriental poppies, pink and white peonies and blue or purple iris.However, about five years ago, Nichols was seized by a desire to grow roses, and now has 63 of them, including hybrid tea roses, which she describes as “divas,” along with lots of shrub roses, hybrid musks, climber roses and mini-roses.

“I get online and order them from all over the country,” she said. “I’m in an online rose forum, and some people there have 300 or 800 roses. I think one person has 1,200 of them.”Nichols said she is somewhat particular about which roses she allows in her garden. “There are thousands of beautiful roses out there, but they can’t come into my garden if they don’t have some kind of disease resistance,” Nichols said.
“But even if they say the roses are disease-resistant, they aren’t always,” Conrad added.Conditions this spring haven’t been that good for their gardens.

“About half of my roses are in bloom, and the other half took a rest during the rain and gloom,” Nichols said. “I come out every day and talk to them and encourage them.”A large branch also fell on one of her rose bushes last week. “I had to cut it back, but it will survive,” she said.“The weather has been so lousy that we’re lucky to get one day a week when we can get out and work,” Conrad said. “The way this weather has been, it’s amazing to look out and see all this color.”

Both are hoping for good weather on Saturday. “There’s such a variety of gardens on the tour that I know everybody will find something to enjoy,” Conrad said.

Other gardens on the tour will include Wood’s Edge, the garden of Brad and Andra Stefanoni, 37n Westfield; the gardens of Shirley and J.D. Messenger, 2611 California; Patty Horgan, 4151 Woodland Drive; Bill and Vicki Moody, 213 S. Dittman, Frontenac; and Tom and Judy Spurgeon, 215 S. Dittman, Frontenac.

This will be a self - guided tour, with garden owners and club members at each site to answer questions and to highlight interesting elements within the gardens. In addition to the gardens themselves, there will be a Gardener’s Market with plants and garden related items for sale from a variety of vendors from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pritchett Pavilion, Immigrant Park. Ticket may be purchased in advance for $6 at New Life Antiques, 108 W. Third, Pittsburg; Carla’s Country Gardens, 212 S. Pesavento Ave., Chicopee; In the Garden, 719 S. Broadway, Pittsburg; Seasons Garden Center, Opolis; VanBecelaere Greenhouses, 2513 E. Fourth, and from members of Zone 6 Garden Club. Tickets may be purchased for $7 the day of the tour at Pritchett Pavilion. Children 12 and under are free.Proceeds help support and fund community garden — related projects, education programs and city beautification efforts.

Southeast Kansas Living

The Pittsburg Garden Tour was featured in the Spring 2008 issue of Southeast Kansas Living Magazine. Request your copy here: http://www.southeastkansasliving.com/