The Top 8 Features Home Buyers Searched for in 2023

In his classic book Mormon Country, author Wallace Stegner noted that nineteenth century Mormons planted rows of Lombardy poplar trees wherever they established settlements in the territory that is now Utah. The trees served as windbreaks and boundary markers, but they were also the flags that marked the advance of Mormon civilization in a hostile territory. In my hometown and lots of other towns all over the United States elm trees served a similar function, marking the spread of middle class residential neighborhoods during the end of the nineteenth and the first third of the twentieth centuries. In the 1960’s almost all of those tall elegant trees fell prey to Dutch Elm Disease, making each municipality a little poorer.

I have given up indoor seed starting completely on several occasions. The first time it happened I was a novice gardener. I had ordered seeds of just about every plant that I saw in the garden catalogs without thinking about such practical things as gallons of potting soil, hours of daily watering, and square feet of windowsill space. It also did not occur to me to determine whether or not I had room in my garden for even a fraction of my seedlings. My chaotic efforts eventually produced some wonderful plants, but the process was so exhausting that I said: “Never again.”

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If you’re constantly tripping over wayward shoes in your entryway, battling piles of paperwork on your kitchen island, or stepping on LEGOs (ouch!), it’s easy to fall into the frustration a cluttered space can cause.

Hardy perennial and annual plants of varying heights which bloom in June and July chiefly; the original species or wild types from which the modern beautiful varieties are descended are natives of California, Siberia, Syria, India and other countries. Delphinium Ajacis, originally from eastern Europe is one of the plants from which the annual Larkspurs have been raised. Delphinium belongs to the Buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. The name is an old Greek one.

The record existed until 1976 when Bob Ford of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, USA exhibited a 451 pound specimen at the U.S. Pumpkin Contest in Churchville, PA. Yearly International Competition was revived again in 1979 when Canadian Howard Dill of Windsor, Nova Scotia won his first of four consecutive international pumpkinship titles at the Cornell Contest in Pennsylvania. Mr. Dill’s first world record of 459 pounds came in 1980 which he supassed in 1981 by harvesting a 493.5 pound pumpkin.

We’re in Northridge, California today, visiting with Terry Sanders:

Creating a stunning garden display doesn’t always require vast expanses of space at ground level. You can bring the thrill of vertical greenery right to your doorstep with climbing plants for pots.

The housing market is finally starting to loosen up a little in 2024. But if you’re looking to get the most value out of your home before putting it on the market, you might want to consider a remodel.

After all the fun and festivities of the holidays, your kitchen cabinets are likely due for a major refresh. If you have pots and pans tumbling out every time you open them, chances are, they need some serious organization.

Harvesting and eating homegrown veg is one of life’s joys. Whether it’s picking leaves for a winter salad or harvesting sweetcorn for a summer barbecue, there’s something special about eating veg that you have grown yourself. Not only does it taste so much better than shop-bought, it also couldn’t be fresher or more healthy – or better for the environment, with no packaging or food miles involved. And of course being out in the fresh air and getting your hands in the soil growing your own veg is great for the soul. You don’t need a lot of space either as a container on a sunny doorstep will make a great spot for growing your own tomatoes or chard. Here we share some of our favourite veg to grow. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners’ World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

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