Dear Angie: My gardening clippers are dull, but when I asked someone at the local hardware store about getting them sharpened, they suggested I just replace them. I'd rather not. Does anyone do this kind of service? Linda M., South Burlington, Vt.

Dear Linda: Good tools are worth keeping, and worth keeping sharp. There are a variety of possible sources for this service, including yes hardware stores, handyman businesses, and tool repair and lawn mower repair shops. Some services will come to you; others require you to bring implements to them.

Among items that benefit from occasional sharpening are scissors, knives, garbage disposals, lawn mower blades, pruners, hedge shears, shovels, hoes, grass clippers and machetes.

Tool sharpening is usually a good value. Top-rated pros told our team that their charges are often $10 or less per item. One said that a new turbo saw blade costs $55, but he can sharpen one for $7.

A sharp tool provides a cleaner cut, while a blunt or dull one may rip or tear. This is important for pruning and shearing; a clean cut helps a plant heal faster.

Also, keeping your lawn mower blade sharp will prevent grass from ripping or tearing, which can stress your lawn and make it harder for it to bounce back from pest infestations or drought.

How often you decide to sharpen implements and blades depends on how often you use them, experts say. Many tools are fine with annual sharpening.

Lawn mower blades should be sharpened at the start of the mowing season, but more frequent sharpening as often as every eight to 10 mows is even better.

Hedge trimmers ideally should be sharpened a couple times a year.

There are three basic types of blade maintenance techniques:

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Ask Angie: Tips for tool sharpening

Creating your own Herb Tub with Jane McCorkell
In this short video filmed at Johnstown Garden Centre in Naas, Co. Kildare, award winning landscape architect and gardening expert, Jane McCorkell, suggests a few plants you can use to create...

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Creating your own Herb Tub with Jane McCorkell - Video

Chicagos parks owe a lot to Jens Jensen, but so do the miles of picturesque lakeshore in Indiana. June 19, 2014

As the temperature rises, thousands will be flocking to the Indiana Dunes this summer. But if it werent for a little-known landscape architect, the miles of beaches along southern Lake Michigan might not exist today.

Jens Jensen first became known for his pioneering work on Chicagos park system a century ago. The new documentary Jens Jensen, the Living Green also shows his role in saving the Indiana Dunes from industrial destruction.

WBEZs Michael Puente recently sat down with the films director Carey Lundin. She began by talking about how the Danish-born Jensen first ended up in Chicago.

Carey Lundin (middle) on location shooting the documentary Jens Jensen The Living Green. (Photo provided by Carey Lundin)

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Long-forgotten landscape architect helped save the Indiana Dunes

The playground in Fitzgerald Park yesterday. Picture: Provision

Cork City Council plans to plough 300,000 into the development of the citys first all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities.

The council said yesterday it has advertised for landscape architect-led design and project management teams to design and oversee the development of the new amenity on the site of the existing play area in the revamped Fitzgerald Park.

They have been given a blank sheet to work with on condition the facility is open by June 2015. The aim is to develop an amenity that will enable children with disabilities to play alongside able-bodied children.

It is intended to become a national model in best practice for the provision of inclusive playgrounds in Ireland, said Stephen Scully, spokesman for the councilss recreation and sport directorate.

The development has been made possible thanks to joint funding from the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork, which has historic links to the park dating back to the last century when it occupied the present day museum for five years.

It is hoped that the playground will be open next year when Bon Secours celebrates its centenary.

The project could not proceed without such generous support, Mr Scully said.

Key partners including the National Disability Authority, and Cork Access, have also been working with City Hall for several months on the project.

The council has now published tenders on the Governments e-tenders website inviting applications from qualified landscape architect-led design and project management teams to bring the project to life.

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300k plan for all-inclusive playground in Fitzgerald Park

By Guest Contributor on June 20th, 2014

By Kellie Hall, Special to the Independent

Carmen Salazar at work.

As a metalworker, glassblower, landscape architect and lighting designer, Carmen Salazars experiences as an artist span across varied terrain.

Describing her career path as circuitous, Salazars pursuit of many different art forms all seem relevant to her newest role on the Laguna Beach Arts Commission, which provides advisory recommendations over public art commissions to the City Council.

These recommendations frequently involve public arts projects, competitions often open only to local artists. The citys collection of public artworks now numbers over 65 pieces. Past projects include The Peoples Council sculpture by Linda Brunker near City Hall and Canyon Chess and Checkers by Marlo Bartels on Main Beach.

At the meeting to appoint new commissioners, the council considered but rejected reducing the number of arts commission members to seven from nine. The terms of four commissioners were expiring. Ultimately, three arts commissioners were re-elected, including architect Donna Olsen Ballard, artist and owner of a marketing company Suzi Chauvel, and retired marketing executive Mary Ferguson. The fourth seat was occupied by Nicholas Hernandez, who served four years on the commission but failed to turn in his application for reappointment on time. That provided the opportunity for a new appointment, hence Salazar.

Salazars selection comes a month after artist Jorg Dubin publicly criticized the arts commission for failing to compensate artists adequately, rushing installations and for aesthetic choices he deemed provincial and safe.

Salazars connections to an arts community in Santa Ana, her interest in boundary-breaking art and her young age perhaps reflect that Dubins concerns struck home.

Born in Washington, D.C. in 1975, Salazars frequent trips to the National Mall developed her interest in public art, she said in interview following the City Council appointment on June 3.

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A Circuitous Path Leads to Arts Commission

Once again, Busch Gardens Williamsburg offered its award-winning landscape skills to a homeowner with a needy yard.

This year's winner of the landscape giveaway, Naomi Donohoe, 37, of Salisbury, Md., wanted a fuss-free front yard that is also a habitat garden for wildlife. She also received a Bad Boy Mower from the giveaway's co-sponsor.

A disabled veteran, Donohoe has limited mobility from service-related injuries, so the team incorporated low-maintenance landscaping elements in the design. Shrubs and perennials provide year-round color and interest, and attract wildlife like bees, birds and butterflies.

Kim Martinez, regional education manager for the National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org) visited the finished landscape to recognize the yard as a Certified Habitat Garden.

"A habitat garden can be built in many sizes and styles, so long as the basic elements are met," said Erick Elliott, director of Busch Gardens Landscape Operations.

For 24 consecutive years Busch Gardens Williamsburg has won the "Most Beautiful Park" award from the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Last year, Busch Gardens began offering a new landscape to the winner of its Landscaping Giveaway contest.

"Here, the house is very linear, and lends itself to a formal garden style," Elliott said of Donohoe's home.

"By incorporating a short boxwood hedge, the landscape team provided the linear continuity for the garden, with formal topiary pieces to provide balance on the ends of the house. A half circle across the front of the home is filled with 10 different perennials in shades of purple to pink, providing blooms from April to October and seeds into the winter months.

The selection of plants also assisted the design.

"By selecting taller plants that are sturdy and 'good for cutting,' color blocks can remain more linear and help maintain a more formal appearance over time," he said.

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Busch Gardens landscape experts create wildlife habitat for lucky homeowner | Diggin' In

Is your garden as appealing to the birds as it could be?

Having a bird-friendly yard or garden has never been more important an average of 2.1 million acres each year is converted to residential use, and almost 80 percent of wildlife habitat in the U.S. is privately owned.

According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study, birding is the number one sport in America. There are 51.3 million birders in the United States, and it takes only a field guide, a spotting scope with tripod or pair of binoculars to go birding. Many birders put feeders out in their backyards to help our feathered friends, and that's good news. However, if you've been wishing you could attract more birds to your yard or garden, remember that providing adequate cover for nesting and protection is as important as providing food.

Shelter

Birds need shelter from the weather and places to hide from predators. Wooded areas, ground cover, a log pile, shrubs and roosting boxes are all examples of shelter your yard can provide.

For safer movement, birds prefer habitat with vegetation at varying heights. Place low-growing vegetation next to a thicket of shrubs and taller trees. Some birds like woodpeckers and chickadees excavate cavities in tree trunks for nesting and roosting. Where natural cavities are hard to find, nest boxes offer these birds a place to raise their young. You can also supply nesting material like yarn or string.

Recent studies show that free-roaming cats limit the survival and reproduction of wild birds in urban and suburban environments. So keep your cat indoors or put a bell on its collar.

Food: try native plants and wildflowers

When it comes to helping out the birds, a good place to start is with a reliable food source in the form of native plants or trees. Planting native plants, shrubs and trees is the easiest way to provide foliage, especially seed- and fruit-producing plants; native plants also require less watering.

Consider planting shrubs like snowberry, twinberry or serviceberry to provide fruit throughout the seasons. If your yard contains cone flower or black-eyed susans, don't deadhead them but let the seeds remain on the plant through the fall and winter to keep goldfinches and other seed-eaters around. Offer hummingbirds the standard mixture of four parts water to one part sugar.

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How to attract birds to your yard or garden

I was delighted to read Don Burnetts column in the June 5 edition of the Capital News, headlined Save natural state of hillside lots.

Frequently, new homeowners come to my xeriscape class to find out how to recreate the natural beauty that attracted them to their property.

Unfortunately, the native vegetation was destroyed in the building process, leaving disturbed soil infested with invasive weeds.

Sadly, it is very difficult to restore what has been lost.

Putting a true value on natural landscapes is long overdue.

Building with Nature, by Andy Wasowski, is an excellent book detailing how owners and builders work together to maximally preserve the natural landscape. Used copies of this are available online.

I strongly recommend it to anyone involved in land development or construction as well as those planning to have a home built.

In Kelowna, we have a wonderful example of this method of building by the late John Woodworth, a prominent architect and ardent conservationist (founding and 25 year member of the Nature Trust of B.C, chair of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, co-founder of Brandts Creek Marsh, and recipient of the Order of Canada for conservation work).

As his final project he designed a home for his wife and himself on the extremely steep hillside beside his long-time residence.

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Steele: Let Mother Nature maintain your yard

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) June 20, 2014

Water features can add an exquisite touch to an incomplete landscape design, says B&D Rockeries. Their recently published article, Exquisite Water Features, explains the various types of fountains and waterfalls that landscapers can use to spice up their yard designs.

B&D Rockeries, an experienced rockery landscaping company has been in business since 1975 and is passionate about increasing the aesthetic beauty of their clients property.

To view B&D Rockeries work, visit the following link: http://www.bdrockeries.com/our-work/.

If youre looking for that little pick-me-up or way to make your yard look especially lovely, water features are a charming way to do so, the articles says.

B&D Rockeries goes onto explain how fountains and waterfalls can fit any style of landscaping and any size of space available. Spouting, cascading, and pondless fountains are lovely additions to any landscape. Waterfalls, both large and small, can have a charming effect on the atmosphere of an outdoor scene.

The article concludes by saying, If youre interested in rockery formations that incorporate water feature designs, B&D Rockeries would be delighted to have a conversation with you.

About B&D Rockeries: B&D Rockeries has been serving in the Snohomish and King county areas for over 35 years. Owner Neil Eneix has a capability and skilled knowledge of rock retaining wall development that will help you accomplish any rock garden design that you need. Whether youre looking for rocks or blocks, Neil has been helping homeowners carefully plot out their landscaping projects for years.

B&D Rockeries 1249 NE 145th St Seattle, WA 98125 206.362.4022 http://www.bdrockeries.com/

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Exquisite Water Features for Landscaping Revealed in New Article Released By B&D Rockeries

By Deborah K. Dietsch June 20

Splish, splash. Water spills down a curving fiberglass slide into the swimming pool built by Tracy and Clint Heiden behind their McLean home. The pool forms the centerpiece of a $1million backyard transformation, changing an unusable hillside into an outdoor living area offering indoor-style conveniences.

At one end of the yard, a metal-roofed pavilion shelters a comfortable seating area centered on a limestone fireplace and 60-inch flat-panel TV. A barbecue grill, sink and refrigerator drawers set below granite countertops provide an outdoor kitchen.

Next to the pool are more features for the Heidens, their four children and friends to enjoy.

Built into the flagstone patio are a glass mosaic-tiled spa and a gas-fueled fire pit. Umbrella-shaded tables, chairs and chaises provide places to dine and relax.

Before we had the pool and landscaping, we spent all our time in our kitchen and family room, says Tracy Heiden, 45, an advertising executive. Now we spend about six to nine months out here relaxing and entertaining. This outdoor space doubled the size of our house.

As evident from this back yard and others in the Washington area, pools have become more than utilitarian places for swimming and cooling off. People spend more time around the pool than in the water, so the design of the surroundings is important, says Don Gwiz, principal of Lewis Aquatech, a pool builder in Chantilly.

A pool often acts as a springboard to a backyard landscape filled with complementary amenities.

We have more requests for structures around the pool small pool houses, pergolas, outdoor kitchens and bathrooms, fire bowls, sculpture, says Walt Williams, co-owner of Alpine Pool in Annandale, who designed and built the Heidens pool and pavilion. The area around the pool is getting more detailed and elaborate.

At the same time, the in-ground basin for the water is getting simpler. Whats becoming popular is a contemporary design, mostly geometric with very crisp lines, says Williams.

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Building a pool is just the beginning of elaborate backyard transformations