Master Landscaping
http://www.masterlandscaping.net

Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s Concho Valley Master Gardeners Association is hosting “Water-Wise Landscaping,” at 7 p.m., June 10 at the Tom Green County 4-H Center, 3168 N. U.S. Hwy. 67.

Kay Thompson, Master Gardener program coordinator, said the workshop should put to rest some popular misconceptions about low-water-use plants.

“We hesitated to call this a Xeriscape workshop, because many people have a picture in their minds of rock and cactus when they see that title,” said Thompson. “That’s the image we are trying to steer away from.

“This workshop will teach homeowners how to have the lush landscape they’ve always dreamed of–one that will not only look good, but perform the way they want it to.”

Thompson said once such a landscape is installed, immediate results will include reduced irrigation and lower water bills, less maintenance and a tougher, higher quality landscape that is adapted to West Texas weather conditions.

There is no charge for the workshop, but organizers ask that participants call the AgriLife Extension office in Tom Green County at 325-659-6528 by June 6, so enough printed material can be made available.

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Leonel Manzano received his initiation into world-class running last summer. The 5-5, 125-pound senior at Texas was about 30 meters into a first-round heat in the 1,500 meters at the world championships in Osaka, Japan, when an elbow was planted in his chest. Welcome to the big time, kid.

“Running against the best people in the world, they’re not going to let you get an inch,” says Manzano, who finished 13th and did not advance. “I went in there with no experience at that level. I’m trying to fight these guys, and they’re like, ‘What are you doing?’ It seemed like I was thrown in the back.

“In high school and college, you don’t see that kind of aggression. It was an awesome experience. What better timing, the year before the Olympics and trials. It was something I really needed.”

Manzano, 23, who was born in Mexico, arrived in the USA at age 4 and became a citizen in 2004, will be a favorite in the 1,500 at the NCAA championships June 11-14 in Des Moines. The surprise winner as a freshman in 2005, he’s seeking bookend titles.

“That would be a great way to finish my career at UT,” he says.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Texas | Japan | Olympics | Mexico | Oregon | Utah | Austin | Olympic Games | Jesus | Des Moines | NCAAs | Osaka | Eugene | Penn | Maria | USA Championships | 27-July | Manzano

He might also be one of the few collegians to make the U.S. Olympic team when he runs the 1,500 at the trials June 27-July 6 in Eugene, Ore. He was second at the USA Championships last year and third in 2006.

Manzano ran his 1,500 best of 3 minutes, 35.29 seconds, equivalent to a 3:52 mile, in last year’s U.S. final. “He’s quite gifted in the sense of racing,” says Jason Vigilante, an assistant to Texas coach Bubba Thornton, the 2008 U.S. men’s Olympic coach, and Manzano’s coach for four years. “Winning is most important to him. Times don’t mean a lot to him. He will always give 100% to complete the race as well as he can regardless of his physical condition. Coupled with that, the pace never seems to bother him.”

Manzano is known for his ability to kick off a fast or slow pace. He came from the back of the pack to win his NCAA 1,500 title. He blew away competitors with his finishes on anchor legs in the Texas and Penn relays.

“He’s got natural foot speed and the ability to change paces,” Vigilante says. “There’s so much to him. Everything about him is a delight. He’s such a nice young man, respectful and honest. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to work with him every day.”

Manzano, who ran a 4:06 mile as a high school junior, began running in middle school. His father, Jesus, operates a rock-crushing machine at a road materials plant. His mother, Maria, is a part-time maid. They weren’t initially enthused with his new activity.

“My parents came here to have a better life and give us more opportunities to succeed,” says Manzano, the oldest of four children, who has done landscaping work for a relative. “They were and still are all about hard work: Go out, get yourself a job. I had a job at 12.

“My parents probably had a third- or fourth-grade education back in Mexico. They had no idea what going to college or playing a sport was. To this day I have a lot of family in the same situation. With me running, they’ve figured out there’s more than just breaking your back with hard labor all the time.”

His parents are now fans. Their biggest contribution to his success is the way they raised him.

“Leo takes pride in everything he does,” Vigilante says. “Here’s a guy who didn’t start learning English until he was 4, and his GPA is important to him. All his professors will tell you how conscientious he is. He doesn’t like to be known just as, the running competitor.”

Manzano, who needs nine credits to graduate and is scheduled to get them in the fall, wants to continue running and plans to stay in Austin to be coached by Vigilante.

“I love this town,” Manzano says. “The group of guys I’m with here can take my training to the next level. We have great facilities. Coach Vigilante is very knowledgeable and always has something prepared. What better place.”

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The preliminary hole in West Dundee’s 2008-2009 general fund budget could get deeper with the addition of money for downtown landscaping projects.

Village Finance Director David Danielson presented a revised budget Monday night that included $26,000 for the building and grounds division to spruce up planters along Main Street, as well as the village hall grounds.

The village had anticipated a $347,000 deficit in next year’s budget and now faces a $373,000 shortfall with the inclusion of the landscaping monies.

Danielson said at least $20,000 of that money would fund downtown landscaping work during the summer, while the exterior of village hall would benefit from the remaining balance.

“This is not just sticking a few petunias in planters,” said Danielson, after trustees suggested the sum was exorbitant.

Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said the money would include all plantings and maintenance of the landscaping.

Initially, village staff had not planned for landscape work in next year’s budget.

In previous years, Danielson said the village had included about $80,000 in landscaping expenses.

Furthermore, village staff recommended an additional $120,000 in the capital project fund to pay for needed road patching throughout the town, especially along Boncosky and Huntley roads.

“We will step up the patching project,” Danielson said. “This is significantly higher than what the village typically spends on patching, which is about ($20,000) to $30,000 a year villagewide.”

Trustees again also discussed a proposed real estate transfer tax to overcome the shortfall.

Under the proposal, village officials are mulling a real-estate transfer tax imposed on buyers of residential and commercial property in the village.

The tax, which would be set at a rate of $5 per $1,000 of the property’s value, would generate more than $200,000 annually, village staff said.

A real-estate transfer tax would require resident approval by referendum on the November ballot.

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How would you like to use your outdoor living space this year?It might not seem like an ideal time to plan spring projects involving your outdoor living spaces, but you’ll be ahead of the pack if you get started now.This is the time to think about how you’ll spend time in your yard this summer. If you love to entertain outdoors or spend time together as a family, this might be the year to add an outdoor kitchen. Or maybe it is time for new patio furniture. Of course, before you line up that next project, you’ll have to get rid of that clutter taking over your yard (or other spaces around your home).You’ll find plenty of opportunities for inspiration in the coming weeks with home and garden shows around the Valley and beyond. Here are some ideas to get started:BETTERLIVING SUNROOMS OF IDAHO
11915 W. Executive Drive, Suite A, Boise, 376-7075, www.betterlivingidaho.comMaureen Murphey loved her backyard patio, but she wanted to maximize the outdoor space. “It just wasn’t being used,” Murphey says. “It was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.” She contacted the folks at Betterliving Sunrooms of Idaho and decided to add an enclosed patio room in the summer of 2007. Now she finds it is the perfect place to enjoy a cup of tea while reading her newspaper in the morning. On a recent December day, she walked into the new patio room and noticed the thermometer reading was 75 degrees (without being heated from her home’s main heating source).”You’re right there. You can see the entire yard,” Murphey says.Rich Gustafson launched a Betterliving dealership in Boise in April 2007. Better-living has been in business for 60 years, but this is the first dealership to open west of the Rocky Mountains, Gustafson says. Gustafson, who represented Champion Windows for seven years, admired Better-living’s solid reputation around the country and decided to pursue the company in order to open a local dealership.”I watched Betterliving dealers throughout the country introduce new and innovative products that enhance the beauty and quality of patio rooms and conservatories,” Gustafson says.The company offers a wide array of high-quality options, such as sunrooms, patio rooms, free-standing garden houses, screen rooms and triple-pane replacement windows. Cost depends on size and the type of room, but most patio rooms range from between $15,000 and $30,000. Rooms can be built year-round, although most clients schedule projects in the spring and summer. Gustafson says clients who schedule projects in early spring or late fall can often enjoy the money-saving benefits of factory incentives.Design consultants meet with potential clients before projects are scheduled to make sure the project is ideal for the home and the people who live there. When considering a patio room or other Betterliving addition, clients should ask themselves how the room will be used (in order to determine what type of insulation is needed), how the room will be decorated, what kind of budget is available for the project and how the project will fit into the existing home (will it be compatible with the current roof design?). The ultimate goal is to make the room look as if it was always part of the home.”Patio room additions quickly become the most used room in the home,” Gustafson says.OUTDOOR KITCHENS OF IDAHO
7106 Ustick Road, Boise, 323-9421, outdoorkitchensofidaho.comJames Adams is an outdoor guy. He has owned The Nature Company for 19 years, and he was inspired to begin a second business more than a year ago because of his own love of cooking outdoors with his family. He launched Outdoor Kitchens of Idaho a year-and-a-half ago after he bought an outdoor kitchen and was disappointed when it fell apart a year later. He knew he could make sturdy outdoor kitchens people can count on, and he loved the idea of adding onto his outdoor-based business.One of the things Adams loves most about the concept of an outdoor kitchen is the endless possibilities that exist for each client. You can start with a simple cabinet with a couple of storage drawers and a built-in barbecue for around $2,500. Or you can customize your kitchen to include a refrigerator, gas grill and an elaborate beverage station. It can match your indoor kitchen, right down to the stainless-steel sink and granite counter, or it can be a simple cooking station.”It can be as simple or as detailed as you want,” Adams says.Once the temperature heats up, Adams receives a higher volume of calls from clients who want to plan an outdoor kitchen of their own. He makes room for those calls, but here’s a tip: The earlier you call, the more time you’ll have to plan the outdoor oasis of your dreams.”This is really the time when we can sit down with a client and spend hours,” Adams says.Adams encourages clients to really think about what they want because the kitchen should match the owner’s personality. During the summer months, Adams and his family will spend almost every night outdoors. They’ll cook meals together outside, taking advantage of the extra daylight and warm summer nights. But some folks will only use the outdoor space occasionally. Be honest about what you want and make decisions based on how you’ll use that outdoor space. Then you’ll be prepared when you speak with Adams, and together you can plan the outdoor kitchen that suits your needs.”Come in with an open mind. Then you can build a theme or idea together,” Adams says. Rian and Shelby Cook did just that when they met with Adams to create an outdoor kitchen in the fall of 2007. The Cooks wanted to revive the outdoor living they enjoyed when living in California and wanted to do some entertaining in their new West Boise home, built in May 2006. Their ultimate goal is to create a full outdoor living space, complete with a firepit, a water feature and large planters in addition to the outdoor kitchen that was finished in late November.”I do a lot of cooking, and I live off the grill,” Rian Cook says. Cook is a pilot with Federal Express and spends long stretches away from home. He originally considered building the kitchen himself but realized he would not be able to spend the time it required. A next-door neighbor hired The Nature Company for landscaping work, and Cook was impressed with the job. He was sold when he heard Adams also did outdoor kitchens.Adams worked with the Cooks to develop just the right plan, considering the couple’s lifestyle and personal taste. They decided to match features in the outdoor kitchen with the indoor kitchen’s features, including GE Monogram appliances, granite counters and tile backsplash.”His attention to detail is phenomenal,” Cook says.1-800-GOT-JUNK
1-800-468-5865, www.1800gotjunk.comSometimes the biggest hurdle to a home improvement project is the stuff taking up space in the area you plan to improve. Maybe it is a spare bedroom that has somehow turned into a storage room. Or perhaps your outdoor patio is packed with outdated recreation equipment, broken beach chairs and old barbecues.Ray and Heidi Rogers have seen it all through their business, 1-800-GOT-JUNK. The company will take away nearly everything except hazardous materials, and their service includes loading, hauling and any cleanup necessary. The GOT-JUNK crew once hauled a 1,000-pound safe out of the basement of a business.”Our main thing is the client shouldn’t have to lift anything,” Ray Rogers says. “They just point to what they want gone, and we take it away.”The Rogerses own the local franchise of GOT-JUNK. They launched the company two years ago in March after meeting with a franchise consultant. The couple met in Los Angeles but decided to move to the Treasure Valley, where they could be closer to Heidi’s family (she grew up near Twin Falls). They liked the idea behind the company and were eager to offer the service to folks in the Valley.”It’s a good feeling because we know we’re helping somebody out,” he says.There are more than 300 GOT-JUNK locations in countries around the world. A university student in Vancouver, B.C., began the business in 1989. Advertised as the largest junk removal company in the world, GOT-JUNK uses the same, easy-to-recognize blue trucks with green and white trim in each city.GOT-JUNK isn’t a moving company. The idea is to help clients clear away things they no longer need. The stuff it removes is then taken to the most appropriate destination - either the dump, a local charity (such as the Salvation Army) or a recycling center. The general criteria for what the company will haul away is anything two men can lift, Rogers says. Jobs have ranged from small, like a refrigerator, to large (remember that safe?). One job required six truckloads. Frequently removed items include old furniture, appliances, hot tubs and treadmills. Rogers’ company also helps offices clear out old equipment such as cubicles and desks.The company charges by volume, and rates vary by city, Rogers says. Locally, the minimum charge is $78 (this will usually cover a refrigerator or washer/dryer). The cost is about $748 for a full truckload. The cost includes everything involved in the process, including loading, cleanup, dump fees and sorting (if junk is donated to a charity or taken to a recycling center). People who want to schedule a pick-up call a toll-free call center, and Rogers says his company can often provide same-day service. How do you know what to haul away and what to keep? Rogers suggests using a simple formula.”If you haven’t seen it or used it for years, you’re not going to miss it,” he says.Chereen Langrill writes for Treasure Magazine and the Idaho Statesman. To offer story ideas or comments, contact her at cdlangrill@idahostatesman.com or 672-6733.

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Landscaping workers for Recreation Centers began yelling at the two men, she added.

The men released Billy, ran to a red pickup truck, which had PVC pipe and landscaping materials in it, and fled the area, O’Grady said.

Jackie Van Ogtrop, a wildlife-services coordinator in Sun City West, said it is unclear what somebody would hope to gain by stealing a swan.

The incident has been reported to Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies, she added.

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Landscaping workers for Recreation Centers began yelling at the two men, she added.

The men released Billy, ran to a red pickup truck, which had PVC pipe and landscaping materials in it, and fled the area, O’Grady said.

Jackie Van Ogtrop, a wildlife-services coordinator in Sun City West, said it is unclear what somebody would hope to gain by stealing a swan.

The incident has been reported to Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies, she added.

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And landscaping workers for Recreation Centers, seeing the fuss, began yelling at the two men, she added.

The two men then released Billy, ran to their red pickup truck, which had PVC pipe and landscaping materials, and fled the area, O’Grady said.

Jackie Van Ogtrop, a wildlife services coordinator in Sun City West, said it’s unclear what somebody would hope to gain by stealing a swan.

“It’s kind of a strange situation,” Van Ogtrop said.

The incident has been reported to Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies, she added.

Billy is known as one of the more aggressive swans that dwell on lakes in Sun City West, officials said.

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A list of upcoming gardening activities in Southwest Florida.

Thursday

Naples Orchid Society meeting: Jim Roberts from Sun Coast Orchids speaks on “What Makes a Good Orchid to Have in Your Collection?”

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Auditorium at The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples

Admission: Guests are welcome free; membership, $30

Information: Nancy Ginocchio, 403-7155

Coming Sept. 13

Tree care and landscaping workshop: Ed Gilman, professor in the Environmental Horticulture Department of the University of Florida, presents a roots-to-canopy, one-stop class that covers tree care and landscape design ideas for sustainability. The workshop includes new information from Gilman’s research on root growth, pruning, mulching, hurricane damage and planting techniques. UF/IFAS- Gainesville is one of the top cutting-edge researchers on tree care in the nation.

Who: Open to landscape architects, landscape maintenance personnel and homeowners

When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Collier County Extension Office, 14700 Immokalee Road (next to the Collier County Fairgrounds).

Admission and information: Free; call Noelle at 353-4244 for preferred preregistration and information.

To include your nonprofit organization’s gardening special event for the public, e-mail information no later than two weeks in advance in the format shown here, to homes@naplesnews.com, or send it to “Get Growing,” Naples Daily News, P.O. Box 100, Naples, FL 34102.

Please provide a contact telephone number and name for further information.

No notices can be accepted by telephone.

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Naples Orchid Society meeting: Jim Roberts from Sun Coast Orchids speaks on “What Makes a Good Orchid to Have in Your Collection?”

Tree care and landscaping workshop: Ed Gilman, professor in the Environmental Horticulture Department of the University of Florida, presents a roots-to-canopy, one-stop class that covers tree care and landscape design ideas for sustainability. The workshop includes new information from Gilman’s research on root growth, pruning, mulching, hurricane damage and planting techniques. UF/IFAS- Gainesville is one of the top cutting-edge researchers on tree care in the nation.

Who: Open to landscape architects, landscape maintenance personnel and homeowners

Where: Collier County Extension Office, 14700 Immokalee Road (next to the Collier County Fairgrounds).

Admission and information: Free; call Noelle at 353-4244 for preferred preregistration and information.

To include your nonprofit organization’s gardening special event for the public, e-mail information no later than two weeks in advance in the format shown here, to homes@naplesnews.com, or send it to “Get Growing,” Naples Daily News, P.O. Box 100, Naples, FL 34102.

Please provide a contact telephone number and name for further information.

No notices can be accepted by telephone.

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The Television New Zealand series Mucking In is the inspiration behind Riverton Primary School%26#39;s massive landscaping working bee, which was to start this morning.

Principal Pam Fleck said about 60 parents, friends and extended families and the entire school were getting stuck into a range of landscaping projects.

%26quot;It%26#39;s a big day,%26quot; Mrs Fleck said.

The school planned to create a musical playground using drums and pipes, an edible garden, with fruit and berry trees, and lots of native plant areas.

Each of the school%26#39;s 10 classes were assigned an area to design and develop.

%26quot;They%26#39;ve designed things that they think will make a great school playground,%26quot; Mrs Fleck said.

The pupils raised more than $3000 earlier in the year to cover the cost of the project.

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