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Homeowners offertheir tips for asmaller gardenLiving with a postage stamp-sized garden

doesn't have to limit you when it comesto gracing your table with beautiful flowersor plump, juicy produce. Whether you livein a house with a small yard or an apart-ment with a strip of soil, you have theroom for a not-so-secret garden.

"The easiest way to expand a small gar-den space is to go up," said Brad Staggs, aformer HGTV and DIY network host who isnow on HGTVPro.com. "Build a nice wood-en arbor in just a few hours and give yourflowers a home to roam."

Plans for an arbor can be found on theSouthern Pine Awareness Network's website at spanpine.com/project-plans.shtml.

Even the tiniest space can producebeauty. Marie C. Trudeau moved into acondo in 2006 and began growing enor-mous and eye-catching sunflowers on astrip of soil immediately in front of herunit. What began as a free packet of sun-flower seeds has turned into a neighbor-hood landmark. Trudeau also attemptedgrowing upside-down tomatoes from herbalcony, but admitted she "had a little suc-cess, but mostly learned from mistakes"and will try again this summer.

A 2-foot-wide and 20-foot-long area isenough for Heidi Eklund and Wayne Pyleto grow tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers,sweet potatoes, lettuce, green beans, redpeppers, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauli-flower and a potted herb garden.

Eklund said it takes time to maintain ahealthy garden and offers the followingtips: "Water and weed a lot. Don't crowdtoo much into one space. Protect frompests with fencing and natural deterrentsand grab a gardening book that makessense to you. If you have children, getthem involved in a fun way and rememberto compost all your vegetable scraps in asmall area of the yard for fabulous soil."

"I grow a tiny vegetable garden," saidDavid Schneider. "We can have a shortgrowing season, and not a lot of heat. Thesecret is to raise the garden bed up by sixto 12 inches (using lumber to make theside walls), and stuff the soil full of nutri-tion — compost, peat moss, green feed.Each box should be about 4-feet-wide andas long as you like. Never walk on the soil— it compacts too easily. Walk around theoutside of the box. Put the plants in close

Big ideas for small spaces

A smaller garden may be a challenge, but there are numerous plants available that will fit — and plenty of friends to help you.

together, stake everything, and watch itexplode."

Homeowner Kari Jones said she viewsgardening as a 10-month-a-year project.

Her 8-year-old garden is about 300 squarefeet and long rather than square. Shegrows a mixture of perennials and vegeta-bles such as leafy greens, beans, peas andpotatoes, which are her biggest producers.

"If I were starting a garden again Iwould try to think about the landscapingfirst," she said. "It's a real drag to have totake out plants that are just beginning tosettle because you realize that you need to

put a path right where they are."She also cautions new gardeners about

how much they are planting. "Remember that plants grow," she said.

"I grew over 40 tomato plants, 20 basilplants, a few oregano, thyme and marjo-ram all on the plot. I got over 500 toma-toes and more basil than I knew what todo with, with remnants in my freezer aswe speak."

No matter how small your garden, youcan find great pleasure tending it, likeYvonne Maffei does in the 20-foot-by-20-foot lot she rents.

"My gardens have been the delight ofmy life," she said. "I never feel more ener-getic in the morning than when I beginplanting because I can't wait to see themiracle of a plant's growth right before myeyes, the miracle of the seed that youplant in dirt and what it becomes withsimply rain and light.

"I think it's why I cried the very firsttime I ever picked a fruit I planted with myown hands," she said. "I didn't grow it, Ijust helped it along, and for that I finallyfelt I had a connection to our Earth." ❏

— Creators News Service


Posh patiosand decksOutdoor furniture retailerslay out hot trends for 2012

Whisk yourself awayto a rustic retreatUp North, delightin the balmybreezes of aNantucket water-

front, or nestle into the charm of aSouthern wraparound porch. The pos-sibilities are endless when you buyluxury patio furniture, with whicheach day can be a blissful "stay-cation"of relaxation and enjoyment of theserenity just outside your very ownhome.

Many homeowners want to show-case their patios and decks so thattheir well-deserved lazy days are spentin elegant comfort while accuratelyreflecting their own personalities, tasteand style. Whether that's relaxing onthe lake, taking in the sun as pontoonsmosey by, orentertainingfriends withpool-side mar-garitas andalfresco dining,outdoor furni-ture shouldexude sophisti-cation anddeliver comfort.

Today, out-door furniturecollectionsrange in style, fabric, design, and ver-satility. Some popular mediums usedinclude cast aluminum, wrought iron,vinyl/wicker/rattan, and polishedwoods. Plush cushions are an addedbenefit for optimum comfort andstyle.

Upscale and posh patio furnituremay be on the pricier side, but thetraditionally high-quality custompieces are often handcrafted andweather-resistant for increased dura-

bility. Painted surfaces typically usemore than one coat of paint and oftencome with scratch- and rust-resistantfinishes.

Choosing the right outdoor collec-tion that reflects your own taste hasnever been easier, particularly since somany furniture specialty stores pro-vide top-notch brands and a slew ofstyles for their varying customers.

The southeast Michigan region hasno shortage of retailers specializing inthe kind of upscale outdoor furniturethat allows homeowners to maximizethe use of their outdoor space — be ita deck, a patio, or both — with func-tional style.

What follows is an overview ofsome high-end metro Detroit areapatio and outdoor furniture storesthat can help make your patio or deck

an oasis completewith elegant out-door furniturewhere everyonefeels like they arestepping into aworld of luxuriousliving.

One OaklandCounty store thathas its pulse on thepopular and bestoutdoor furniture onthe market is Palm

Beach Patio & Casual Furniture, locat-ed at 7350 Highland Road inWaterford Township.

For 28 years, owner Jane Fedrigohas been catering to area riparians'tastes.

"We sell what is functional anddurable with attention to aesthetics,"she said. "We specialize in American-made products which are longer-last-ing."

Fedrigo cited tubular inserts as one

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example. These American-made prod-ucts are considered superior to China'sgoods since they are made from heav-ier construction materials.

As far as trends go, Fedrigo sayshigh-end, deep-seating collections areclassics and appeal to a large stream ofcustomers.

"Every year, there are new designsand (there are) ones I savor, like nicecurved sofas and sectionals (which) Ithink are attractive," she said. "Somethink these sectionals are contempo-rary, but we have one that's traditionalby Brown Jordan that is very unique,called Day Lily II."

She added that motion swivel glid-ers are gaining in popularity.

"These deep-seating gliders andwicker swivel gliders are so attractiveand durable that you even put theminside," she said.

Fedrigo banks on top-notch manufac-turers such as Tropitone, Homecrest,Telescope to deliver the best.

"One of the most popular is fromTelescope, an American company," sheexplained. "They are making pieceswith marine-grade polymer, a resinmaterial that's unfinished but the colorgoes all the way through. They make itwith the same composite used for boatdecks. (It's) a fabulous material."

Customers are also moving awayfrom bar-high to balcony-high (counterheight) tables.

Moreover, glass tables are a trendof the past.

"We've come full circle from glass,"Fedrigo said. "There are some compos-ites still around like faux stone, but thefavored medium is cast aluminumbecause it's maintenance-free."

She added that an earth-tonepalette tends to be customers' toppick.

"We're still in earth tones and alsoseeing apple green or spa blue, butstarting to see orange as an accentcolor," Fedrigo said.

Palm Beach Patio also lends out itsin-house designer to come straight tocustomers' homes as a consultant.

"Customers usually want to buy acomplete set for a whole deck, or morethan one deck, or a patio when theycome in," Fedrigo said. "The lakefrontowner tends to be more interested inpatio furniture because it's used moredue to entertaining."

In addition, Fedrigo is still seeingfire pits or wood burning stoves aspopular accessories.

She also notes that her businesscontinues to stay afloat in this diffi-cult economy since people are invest-ing in their homes and staying put.

For nearly a decade, Patio PlusOutdoor Furniture in Northville hasbeen providing first-class outdoor fur-niture that reflects the current markettrends.

"We sell thicker quality grade withmore styles, including more choiceson cushions, including colors and fab-rics," said Ken Jacobs, who co-ownsthe store located at 42367 Seven MileRoad. "The products are made fromsturdier constructions and we offer agreater variety of inventory. If wedon't have it, our customers canorder different products."

The 5,000-square-foot Patio Plusshowroom offers top Michigan-basedbrands like Lloyd Flanders, which pro-duces primarily wicker and wovenresin vinyl products; and Woodard,which specializes in aluminum andwrought iron creations, as well as

deep-seating sofas, loveseats, andchairs.

Other popular manufacturersinclude Al-Fresco Home, which spe-cializes in cast aluminum dining sets,deep-seating furniture, and acces-sories; and Homecrest, known forluxurious deep-seating products.

"All are pretty comparable withgood warranties and nice products,"Jacobs said. "I also look at how wellthey take care of problems for us andour customers."

This year, Jacobs said new resin-type seating — including Adirondackchairs and picnic tables — isimmensely popular.

"It's made from recycled milk car-tons with a 20 year-warranty," Jacobsexplained. "The color goes all the waythough, it's great for homeownersand it's very durable."

Colors range from canary yellow tobright blues to vivid reds, and fromlime green to tangerine. Chairs startat $299 and tables start at $800.

Jacobs noted that fire pits andpropane fire pits are also still in highdemand.

"They come in a lot of differentsizes and varieties," Jacobs said."Some of the more expensive ones usecrushed glass instead of logs. They arepretty neat and reflect the sun, andthe fire burns right through it."

These accessories range from $899up to $3,000.

Jacobs also said an up-and-comingtrend is the waterproof materialCrypton, which he said is perfect forlakefront homes and lifestyles.

"It's made of soft material that's notonly waterproof, but durable andstain-resistant," he said.

For deep-seating cushions, he rec-ommends Sunbrella, a material thatcarries with it a four-year warranty.

"It's the best material out there foroutside cushions," Jacobs said. "It'sfade-resistant so you don't have toworry about choosing a vibrant color."

Outdoor furniture collections range in style, fabric, design, and versatility. Some popular mediums used include cast alu-minum, wrought iron, vinyl/wicker/rattan, and polished woods. Plush cushions are an added benefit for optimum com-fort and style.

PAGE 9B ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯


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For the customer who already hasthe goods but their patio needs a littleextra TLC, Casual Refinishing at 15505Beech Daly Road in Redford Townshipcan help restore old and tired vintagefurniture to mint condition for half theprice of buying brand new, high-endfurniture pieces.

"We're unique because we're the onlygame in town," said manager NancyWallace. "Some people don't realizerefinishing can be done."

Casual Refinishing begins by sand-blasting off the old paint, going rightdown to bare metal through a state-of-the-art priming and refinishing processthat is electrostatically applied, accord-ing to Wallace.

"We then offer a wide range of colorsfor repainting and replace common vinylstraps, and things like that."

Wallace has been in the furniturebusiness for 24 years, and sees refin-ishing as a means of protecting a cus-tomer's investment.

"High-end furniture is an invest-ment," she said. "There's furniture fromthe 1950s, for example, that lasts somuch longer because it's high quality.There's no reason to replace it whenyou can refinish it."

She has seen cases where furniturehas been handed down from generationto generation and still has that heir-loom quality. It doesn't need replace-ment — just a facelift.

"You can take something outdated

and, by changing the color to a newfactory finish, it looks like a brand newset," she said. "This is vintage furniturethat's well constructed and representa-tive of American-made quality."

She agrees with Fedrigo and Jacobsin their assertions that some of the topbrands on the market today includeBrown Jordan; Tropitone; Winston;

Woodard; Homecrest; and Telescope. She cites today's popular paint colors

as hues of bronze and taupe, but cus-tomers are preferring bolder fabric col-ors.

"Reds and oranges have been verypopular in just the last few years," shesaid. "I've been in the industry foreverand when I first started out, the popu-

lar colors were beige, pewter, bronzeand black. But black is still populartoday because it's classic."

Cushion colors are trending towardvibrant shades of orange, red, blue, andpurple.

Wallace said that as far as furnitureconstruction is concerned, fabric mesh,which makes up the backs of chairs andcushions, is gaining in popularity. Shealso noted that deep-seating groups asopposed dining groups tend to sellmore.

"People want more sofas, love seats,lounge chairs, and conversation tablesvs. dining tables, or a coffee table withchairs around it because people like tohave an area where they can chat withfriends as opposed to having a meal,"Wallace said.

Aluminum tops the list as thefavored table construction material ofchoice today, according to Wallace.

"It's always a better seller becauseit's light weight, rust-free and mainte-nance-free," she said. "People are get-ting away from glass and going withmosaic, marble, granite, or fiberglass."

Retailers in the outdoor furnituresector say that the discriminate shop-per tends to buy high-end sets thatdemonstrate their personality andentertaining needs, despite the jump inprice from so-called "big box" store mer-chandise.

"Even though the economy has beendifficult, there's always a need for quali-ty," Fedrigo said. ❏

The following outdoor furniturestores are a sampling of metroDetroit area retailers that carryhigh-quality pieces andaccessories:• Casual Concepts, 828 N. Main Street,

Rochester. 248-652-1080. • Patio Plus Outdoor Furniture,

42367 Seven Mile Road, Northville.248-347-6190.

• Coastal Outdoor Living Space, 1751 S.Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills.248-758-1400.

• Allstate Pools, Billiards, Patio, HotTubs & Fireplaces

30650 Plymouth Road, Livonia.734-838-6555.

• Allstate Pools, Billiards, Patio, HotTubs & Fireplaces 26159 Novi Road,Novi. 248-468-2400.

• Casual Refinishing, 15505 Beech DalyRoad, Redford Township.313-533-7720.

• Palm Beach Patio, 7350 HighlandRoad, Waterford Township.248-666-2880.

• English Gardens, 6370 Orchard LakeRoad, West Bloomfield Township.248-851-7506.

• Bordine's, 8600 Dixie Highway,Clarkston. 248-625-9100.

• Bordine's, 1835 S. Rochester Road,Rochester Hills. 248-651-9000.

• Art Van Furniture, 2125 TelegraphRoad, Bloomfield Township. 248-454-0900.

• Art Van Furniture, 5053 Dixie Highway,Waterford Township. 248-674-4731.

• Art Van Furniture, 27775 Novi Road,Novi. 248-348-8922.

• Ethan Allen, 275 N. Old Woodward,Birmingham.248-540-8558.

• Ethan Allen, 42845 W. 12 Mile Road,Novi. 248-380-7900.

• Ethan Allen, 100 Brown Road, AuburnHills. 248-393-6600.

While reds, bronze, taupe, and oranges have been popular colors for outdoor furni-ture in recent years, black has remained a popular color with many customers“because it’s classic.”

Outdoor furniture cushion colors that are proving popular with today’s customersinclude vibrant shades of orange, red, blue and even purple. Today’s consumersalso benefit from more choices in cushion fabrics.

❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 7B


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A pit can warm upthose chilly nights,add atmosphere

Abig blaze on a crisp spring or sum-mer evening is a creature comfortfew can deny. You've probably

drooled over some of the phenomenalbackyard fireplaces unveiled on homeimprovement shows — those flick-of-the-switch, gas-powered granitehearths surrounded by posh patio furni-ture with a stainless steel smoker grillon the side.

For most homeowners, though,these decked-out decks are the stuff ofdreams. Luckily, those on a more mod-est budget have plenty of options, fromsimple store-bought fire pits to do-it-yourself backyard bonfire rings — andnothing transforms a simple patio into ahome outside the house quite like thecrackling embers of a cozy fire.

"There is something primal aboutwatching a fire and seeing the flamestwisting upward and the smoke waftinghere and there," said landscape contrac-tor Roger Cook of PBS' perennially pop-ular "This Old House" and "Ask This OldHouse."

"The sensory pleasures that youderive from the landscape around yourhouse all come from the most funda-mental natural elements — earth, air,water and fire," said landscape designerJulie Moir Messervy, author of "HomeOutside: Creating the Landscape YouLove." "To many of us there's nothingmore magical than being outside in awarm place looking up at a night sky."

Ready-made fire pits are all the rage,from copper cauldrons to cast iron pitsthat transform into posh patio tables.But when it comes to creating a cozyatmosphere on a budget, nothing beatsa chiminea. Also known as Mexican fire-places, they resemble giant urns setatop metal stands — and their uniqueshape makes them ideal for small patiosand porches.

The long neck acts as a chimney,controlling drafts and protecting thefire from sudden gusts of wind, whilethe curved fire pit deflects and radiatesheat with surprising efficiency. Manyfeature grated doors and sparkarrestors that double as rain guards.

With prices starting at around $80,

chimineas are something of a bargain— and, because they use considerablyless wood than traditional fire pits,you'll save money on firewood. For thebest burn, try pinion or juniper wood.Both have a high heat content and apleasant pine scent that repels insectsnaturally.

Do-It-Yourself Fire PitsLooking for something a little larg-

er? Turn the cool evenings into an assetwith a quick do-it-yourself fire pit that'shigh on style and easy on the pocket-book.

"Fire pits can be as simple as a ringof rocks around a slight depression inthe ground, or as intricate as cut gran-ite pieces fitting together to make theperfect circle — plus, it's inexpensive ifyou want it to be," Cook said.

He suggests the following: Start bydigging a hole about 4-feet-wide by 1-foot-deep. Fill the depression 6 inchesdeep with crushed stone, and line the

edge with large rocks. For added style, use concrete or

brick-segmented wall blocks in lieu ofthe rocks. Available at any homeimprovement store, the segmentedblocks, generally used for landscapeedging, elevate an everyday fire pit to a

formal landscaping feature. Look for retaining wall blocks cut to

fit curves. The interlocking units requireno mortar — simply stack and you'reready for your first backyard bonfire.Expect to spend about $2 per block.

For added fire safety, surround theretaining wall with loose stone or flatstone that compliments your landscap-ing.

"If you already have an outdoor patioor kitchen, it's always better if thematerial of the fire pit ties into theexisting scheme," Cook said.

This simple design allows for easyupgrades. Add a spit or rotisserie for analternative to the traditional grill. Don'tforget to add a few essentials like com-fortable seating, side tables and an eat-ing area.

"Remember that any fire element is afocal point that draws both the eye andthe body to its dancing flames and itswarmth," Messervy said. "By combininga fireplace with an outdoor kitchen orgrill and a durable living and diningroom set, you'll create a home outsidethat meets your every need."

Before building, determine the prop-er location and brush up on your localfire regulations. A fire feature should befar enough away from the house toensure proper safety and avoid smokedrifting in through the windows, yetclose enough for guests to grabrefreshments or make a quick pit stop.There should also be a water sourcenearby in case of mishaps.

Some municipalities and neighbor-hood associations have strict rules onwhat, where and when you can burn,so check with your local fire depart-ment before stoking the flames in yournew fire pit. ❏

— Creators News Service

Time to fire it up, get cozy

A fire pit is a useful accent to your garden. It not only provides warmth during coldspring and summer nights, but also doesn't have to cost a lot of money.

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