Bushes and trees have their own personality, character and look. They have to fit in the plans you have for your garden design. Pruning, trimming, cutting and sawing become a major part of their development with careful planning and regular care they will define how your garden looks.

Hedges frame the garden. These living walls are ideal for dividing property or adding visual accents through artistic shapes. Trimming is vital for healthy and dense hedges and can be done manually or by help of electric or battery-driven hedge trimmers.

Cutting flowers or pruning bushes or trees is essential for the vitality of the plants. Pruning helps the plants to use their energy in a more productive way. Depending on the branches that need to be cut, different cutting tools can be helpful: Secateurs for flowers and thin branches, loppers and branch pruners for bushes and trees.

If pruning loppers are not strong enough to get your trees in shape, GARDENA's hand saws are the right choice. They can even be used in great heights using one of the GARDENA combisystem handles. For even more demanding tasks such as making fire wood, GARDENA chainsaws are the right products.

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Tree and Shrub Care by GARDENA - Garden Pruning Bushes Trees

Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romeros radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer system. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona. Here are questions about home maintenance and improvement from the Southern Arizona area.

Q: I have just remodeled my bathroom; the work was finished this week. Some people have advised me to seal the travertine tile shower; others say no, I dont have to do it. Is it necessary?

A: Yes, you do have to seal it, because travertine is a porous stone that can be etched by acidic substances. But first, you have to let the grout dry out completely after the travertine has been put on by the remodeler. Its probably going to do that in three to five days, but waiting two weeks would be better.

Once you are ready to seal the stone, brush a thin layer of epoxy resin over the surface to fill any holes in the top layer. Allow it to dry thoroughly and then brush on another layer. Then mix the stone sealer and apply it with an applicator brush, moving in one direction. Check to make sure that you dont miss any areas or add too much or too little sealer. Allow to dry thoroughly before taking another shower.

Q: I have a problem with my flat roof; I have to paint it every year to keep it sealed. What can I put on top that would give more protection and reflect heat as well?

A: A white elastomeric roof coating could work well for you. It can be used on metal, foam or concrete tiles. But before you put it on, you need to thoroughly clean the roofs surface. Preparation is 90 percent of the job. Start by cleaning up any dirt or debris. Then use a pressure washer to finish the cleaning. Youll also want to repair any cracks or problem areas. The coating can be applied with a roller, brush or sprayer. Once the coating is on, it should last several years and help cool the interior of your house.

Q: I recently had a glass-enclosed porch added onto the back of my house. The builder seems to have done a good job, including adding extra flashing, but now there are four places inside on the ceiling of the porch that leak when it rains. I inspected the stucco parapet on the roof that is just above the porch and the stucco is pitted all over with tiny holes. Could those holes be the problem?

A: If you are sure the builder installed the porch properly, then that stucco parapet could indeed be the problem. If you have woodpeckers living in the area, they most likely have done the damage. You need to have a competent painter come in to fill those holes with elastomeric caulk and maybe even re-stucco the parapet. Then you can repaint.

Q: I have a townhouse where the tile flooring has cracked inside my kitchenette. The crack is near where the floor meets the outside wall, and when it rains, water comes up through that crack in the tiles. There is also a drainpipe right outside the wall. How can this problem be fixed?

A: Someone will probably need to excavate outside the townhouse down to the footing at the bottom. Then the concrete foundation area will need to be thoroughly cleaned and sealed. You may also need to redirect the water from the downspout to eliminate a source of water affecting this problem.

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Porous travertine tile in a shower must be sealed

Top of the range villas for sale in Spain
Luxury villa for sale in Spain http://www.1casa.com/Villa_for_sale_Estepona_113149 Luxury villa comprising living room with open fireplace, guest toilet, fantastic kitchen, Jacuzzi in main...

By: Spanish Properties

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Top of the range villas for sale in Spain - Video

How to Install a Home Fire Sprinkler System
Learn how a home fire sprinkler system is designed and installed from home improvement expert, Ron Hazelton. For more projects, visit Ron Hazelton #39;s website: http://www.ronhazelton.com/

By: Ron Hazelton

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How to Install a Home Fire Sprinkler System - Video

HAVELOCK | Havelock officials said cold weather likely caused a sprinkler system pipe to burst in a vacant restaurant on Friday.

A driver noticed water cascading from the roof of the former Carolina Grill restaurant at the corner of U.S. 70 and Tourist Center Drive in Havelock around 12:42 p.m. and called authorities.

A passerby saw all the water and called the station, said Havelock Police Sgt. John Austin, who responded to the scene. There was no way that you could have gone by and not seen it. It was like Niagara Falls coming out of there.

Fire Marshal John Lewis said that temperatures that dipped into the teens and lower 20s the past couple of nights may have caused the pipes to freeze and then burst, causing the massive leak.

We have a case of frost bite, Lewis said. We have a frozen pipe that was outside on the sprinkler system and was exposed to the cold.

Lewis estimated that several hundred gallons of water flowed out of the sprinkler system both inside and outside of the building.

He said the water appeared to cause part of the ceiling to collapse outside and appeared to have resulted in two to three inches of water being inside the dining room.

The 7,172 square-foot building is owned by Carolina East Investments LLC. It was built in 2008 and has a tax value of $793,000 according to Craven County tax records. The restaurant closed in 2013.

Id like to see this place used again, said Mike Cerjan, a Havelock building inspector. We dont like to see any vacant buildings. Its a nice size restaurant.

The owners could not be reached for comment and no damage estimate was unavailable.

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Pipe burst in vacant restaurant

A broken water pipe has caused flooding at Chicago's Union Station for the second time this week, officials said.

About 4 p.m. we had another break in the sprinkler system, in nearly the same place it occurred earlier this week, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said.

Pipes running in the ceiling overhead burst, leaving a pool about 2 inches deep and 40 feet by 40 feet wide.

No one was injured or splashed by the water, which is not drinkable but used to put out fires.

At 5 p.m., water was still being sopped up and the lead shut off.

The latest flooding was not immediately affecting trains or commuters, according to Metra spokesman Michael Gillis.

Metra was notified by Amtrak that a water main leak had flooded the south concourse, and maintenance workers were called to the scene, Gillis said.

Metra and Amtrak officials were assisting commuters wishing to depart on BNSF, SouthWest Service and Heritage Corridor trains on tracks 6 and 8.

Friday's water line break was the second such incident at Union Station this week.

Magliari said the sprinkler pipes in the ceiling above the south concourse area were damaged during last winter's polar vortex, and again this week by the subzero temperatures.

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Union Station hit by broken pipe for 2nd time in a week

HARTFORDThe John C. Clark, Jr. Elementary & Middle School in Hartford will remain closed for the rest of the week due to the discovery of chemicals in the new sprinkler system.

As of Monday, Jan. 12, the students will be relocated to alternate school sites as officials conduct further testing.

The school was closed on Wednesday, the first day back from winter break.

The school says this is in an abundance of caution as facility maintenance issues are resolved. Low levels of PCBs were found in the air before winter break and in tests since. PCBs are polychlorinated biphenyls, which are industrial chemicals that the EPA considers a potential carcinogen.

The sprinkler system was tested, causing concerns for the air quality.

A meeting will be held tomorrowin the Salvation Army Offices at 100 Nelson Street so parents and families can have any questions answered.

Here is the full statement from the Superintendents office.

As of Monday, January 12, 2015, the students and staff of Clark Elementary School at 75 Clark Street will be relocated to alternate school sites as we conduct further testing to determine the source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the air.

There was no requirement or directive from any regulatory agency to evacuate the building. Given that the testing process involves contractors working at various locations around the school, we believe that this would have been disruptive to the educational setting. As such, we made the determination that it was in the best interest of students and staff, with an abundance of caution, to temporarily relocate to alternate school sites. We made this determination as soon as we received the air quality results.

New School Sites

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Clark students to be relocated to alternate schools Monday

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Andy Murray is in Perth preparing for this month's Australian Open Getty Images

Andy Murray has shed light on the tensions that were behind the departure of two key members of his coaching team last year.

The British No.1 parted ways with hitting partner Dani Vallverdu and fitness coach Jez Green in November, citing the need for change ahead of his off-season training schedule.

However, speaking to the Independent, Murray has revealed more on the decision to let go of the two long-standing team-members, saying that he needed his coaching staff to rediscover a common goal.

"The most important point in any team is that everyone has the same vision, everyone wants to move forward together," Murray said. "I feel that's what I have now. Maybe the last four or five months of last year it wasn't like that. It's not as much fun travelling when that's the case. If everyone isn't right into it, that isn't how you want to work."

Signs of disquiet in the Murray camp first surfaced at Wimbledon last summer after the appointment of head coach Amelie Mauresmo, with Vallverdu and Green apparently unhappy at not being fully informed of the news beforehand.

Parting company with Vallverdu was particularly difficult, given their close friendship since meeting as youngsters at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Spain more than a decade ago.

"He was the coach responsible for my training and all my practices at all of the tournaments," Murray said. "Maybe it didn't go as well as either of us would have liked and that's why I felt like I needed someone else. For him to get the opportunity to work with someone like [Tomas] Berdych is fantastic. He's obviously a top player and it will be a good challenge for him."

Murray, who is in Perth preparing for this month's Australian Open, also revealed he has started working regularly with a sports psychologist, although he was undecided as to whether they would become a full-time member of his new staff.

"I've been working with someone for a number of months now," he said. "I don't know if I feel like I need to travel with [a psychologist], but it's not something I'm closed-minded about."

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Murray sheds light on Vallverdu and Green departures

(Jeremy Harmon | The Salt Lake Tribune) Instructor Jeff Rogers, right, works with his class at the Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy at the newly opened Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Center. The room where this class was held is the same size as the stage, including the wings, at the Capitol Theater giving dancers ample room to rehearse.

(Jeremy Harmon | The Salt Lake Tribune) Instructor Jeff Rogers, right, works with his class at the Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy at the newly opened Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Center. The room where this class was held is the same size as the stage, including the wings, at the Capitol Theater giving dancers ample room to rehearse.

ARTICLE PHOTO GALLERY (2)

The Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy hosted an open house Saturday at the new Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Centre.

Visitors were able to take tours, view classes, get information on the academy, enjoy refreshments and take pictures with dancers at the glittering, newest addition to Salt Lake Citys arts scene.

The 55,000-square-foot ballet center opened in December, adjacent to the recently renovated Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in downtown Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake County-operated arts facility was jointly funded by taxpayers and Ballet West fundraising. Its construction was part of a $33.5 million public-private partnership that includes remodeling of the Capitol Theatre.

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Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Centre: Public invited to tour Salt Lake City's newest arts gem