Sitting Pretty -- On The Perfect Paver Patio
By Sandra Nelson
July 1959 was an exciting time for my family; It was the year that my father made his mark on our neighborhood. He became a local celebrity by turning our backyard into what was then considered a lavish outdoor living space. Fired up by pictures he saw in magazines, my …
Trends in Outdoor Kitchens 2020
By Sandra Nelson While outdoor kitchens have been at the top of homeowners’ wish lists for the last few years, ideas about what those kitchens should look like are beginning to change. No longer just a spot to grill, outdoor kitchens today are fast becoming the heart of outdoor living. They include options …
Poolscaping -- Transforming Average to Outstanding
By Sandra Nelson My daughter recently lamented that swimming pools are the new toilet paper this summer — not to be found anywhere. She moaned that she missed being outdoors, enjoying her surroundings and dangling her feet in the water while the kids splashed and played. Granted, she was talking about a kiddie pool …
A Tropical Paradise -- Outside the Tropics
By Sandra Nelson
Lush, vibrant, idyllic. — A place to kick back and relax in luscious, green surroundings. . The gentle murmur of falling water and the perfumed fragrances of summer flowers — the perfect vacation spot, but in your own backyard! The key to creating this personal tropical paradise — no …
Visit A Tropical Paradise -- In Your Own Backyard
By Sandra Nelson If a trip to the tropics isn’t in the plan this summer, why not create a tropical paradise in your own backyard? Using these 7 design tips from the experts, you can have the perfect place to relax and unwind. KEEP IT LUSH The idea of a lush …
Vegetable Gardening 101
By Sandra Nelson
With the days all seeming to melt together, it’s hard to realize that today is already May 7th. In another week or so it will be time to begin planting the bulk of my vegetable garden — the warm season plants like tomatoes and cucumbers and zucchini, and some seeds like …
Designing Beds That Delight
By Sandra Nelson I don’t know how you are handling stress these days, but I find myself drawn more and more to my yard. When I feel anxiety building, I stroll through the yard, stopping every few seconds to discover the changes from the day before and to soak in the calming power of …
Life-long Gardening -- Adaptations That Work
By Sandra Nelson While wandering around the Chicago Botanic Garden last summer, I stumbled upon (no pun intended) an area dedicated to Accessible Gardening — gardening for people with special needs or physical limitations. Feeling my aches and pains more and more every day, the prospect of discovering ways to make strenuous gardening tasks …
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