When we analyse the pros and cons of the various options in improvements we can make to our properties, we usually see kitchens and bathrooms listed first in terms of the best return on investment (ROI), especially if you can do some or all of the work yourself.

But despite their promising ROI, kitchen and bath reno projects can be very costly. But most Canadians don’t have the knowledge and skills needed to do these renovation themselves, so must pay professionals to do the job – no chance for the homeowner to provide any ‘sweat equity’.

If you are itching to be involved in adding value to your home, consider landscaping. Landscaping projects can vary greatly in cost, while offering a better opportunity for anxious homeowners to manage part or all of the project themselves – dramatically increasing the ROI.

Plus, if you are considering selling your home, you will want good curb appeal. A well-landscaped home will give would-be purchasers that good first impression that can lead to a quicker sale - before they even see the kitchen or bath.

Consider these simple inexpensive landscaping projects;

Flowers – whether improving an existing flower bed or creating a new one, flowers bring colour to your yard, add a pleasant fragrance to the air, and attract birds and butterflies.

Discuss your thoughts, budget and site factors (light and soil conditions) with a local nursery to find out what will work best.

Mulch – possibly the simplest, least-expensive way to make a big impact to your property. Mulch is a more eco-friendly choice than grass/lawn and can define spaces, add colour and texture, save you time and dramatically change the overall look of your yard.

Lawns – another easily improved aspect of landscaping. From simple over-seeding to thicken the grass to filling in patches to resodding, improving your lawn often involves labour that you can provide yourself.

Edging – easy, no or low-cost way to make an improvement – gives garden areas more definition and a more polished look. While you have your shovel or edger in hand, consider enlarging your gardens, thus reducing your lawn surface – an eco-friendly move.

Shrubs and Trees – can totally change the look of your home. Trees and shrubs can add colour and texture, and even help block out unsightly neighbouring homes or yards. This can be one of the more costly landscaping projects, so careful consideration and planning are recommended to ensure the best bang for your buck.

Jump into the spring /summer season with a hit of fresh bright colour to help give your outdoor space that welcoming feeling. It will be a few weeks before the annuals can be safely left out, so why not bring on the warm weather feeling with a few brightly coloured accessories? 

This season’s selection of cushions, plant pots, candle holders and wind chimes are colourful and fun but if you’re worried about putting your money into items that are too trendy,  pick a shade that will work with your existing pieces and add just a hint of the unexpected. If your front door is a traditional colour such as taupe or rich red you can use basic cushions covers in taupe, black or grey and then turn it up a notch with a couple of bright turquoise or coral accent pillows, plant pots, or a summery throw.  Use colours that are clear and true such as yellow, coral, or even purple and stay away from the dull undertones.

Nature really knows how to announce a new season.  Take a cue from the vibrant riot of spectacular shades she is pushing up through the earth.

‘Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while
but their hearts forever.’
~ Author Unknown

Happy Mother’s Day!

Prune your spring-flowering shrubs, like magnolia, lilac, and forsythia, as soon as they have finished their spring colour show and have dropped their beautiful blossoms – it’s the best time to do so.

The reason these shrubs flower so early in the season is because they produce their buds the year before - and they begin producing buds for next year’s crop of blossoms as soon as this year’s blossoms fall off. Pruning right away will ensure lots of colour next spring.

With planting season upon us, you’ll love this eco-friendly gardening tip; before they go into the recycling bin, give clear plastic bottles a second life –as a mini greenhouse.

Make a bell-shaped cover or cloche by simply cutting large clear plastic pop bottles in half. Place over young seedlings to protect them from weather extremes and help them get a good start.

When it comes to fruit, succulent strawberries are the first of the season to emerge. We are blessed in Canada with both an abundance of commercially grown berries and wild strawberries that pop-up all over the place. It won’t be long before they’re ready to pick and enjoy!

Did j’a know these strange strawberry facts and tidbits;

• Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.

• The average strawberry has 200 seeds.

• Strawberries are a member of the rose family.

• Strawberries are low fat, low calorie; high in vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, potassium.

• In early France, Strawberries were thought to be an aphrodisiac.

• Ancient Romans believed that strawberries were somewhat of a cure-all – that they alleviated symptoms of just about any ailment.

• Medieval stone masons carved strawberry designs in churches and cathedrals to symbolize perfection and righteousness.

• You can prevent muscle fatigue and make exercising easier by eating nitrate-rich strawberries, which can increase the flow of blood & oxygen to the muscles by 7%. 

• In a test, subjects who ate nitrate rich foods like strawberries, before exercising burned 100 more calories than those who did not.

• There is a museum in Belgium just for strawberries.

Obviously driving safely makes sense any time of the year. But our MAY 2-4 weekends tend to bring out the worst in some drivers. If you will be on the road this Victoria Day weekend, be aware that police pay special attention to driving infractions. And not just speeding! Also targeted are drivers who are aggressive, impaired, fail to buckle up, follow too closely, weave in and out of traffic, or who use the shoulder to avoid traffic jams.
 
Play it safe this Victoria Day weekend. Leave lots of time to get where you are going and respect the thousands of others on the road.

Have a safe and enjoyable long weekend.

Simple Machines – John, age 11, says, “I like learning about stuff like levers and pulleys and things like that. This site explains it all really well – so I can do my school project.”

Colour Matters – Maggie, age 13, says, “I never knew colours were so cool. They can affect your mood! And animals can’t all see all colours. Plus lots of other interesting stuff.”

Dr. Seuss – Raj, age 7, says, “I love the Dr. Seuss stories. We’ve read them all! This website has lots of fun stuff about all the stories and the guys in them.”

Pet Care – Allison, age 8, says, “Mom said that if I want a pet this summer, I have to know how to take care of it. This site tells you all about pets and what to expect. I want a rabbit.”
 

Try these useful keyboard commands to help speed up and simplify your MAC computing:

1. Apple-Q to quit the front-most application.
2. Apple-W to close the front-most window.
3. Apple-S to save.

Attention pool owners; this year, spurn the energy-consuming pump to empty pool cover water. Instead, drain the water from the swimming pool winter cover the green way, by fashioning a simple siphon to do the job – allowing gravity to replace electricity. It’s simple - all you need is a garden hose and a spot in your yard that is lower than the pool water.

Start by submerging a garden hose into the pool cover water so that all the air in the hose is replaced by water. Then, ensuring one end stays submerged, place your thumb over the other end of the hose and quickly take it to the chosen low spot in the yard. Place the end of the hose on the ground and slowly remove your thumb.

If you run into problems, it’s usually because there is air in the hose. Be sure to let it all bubble out before beginning.

“If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?” ~ Milton Berle

“A Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother.”  ~ Author Unknown

“An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets the more interested he is in her.” ~ Agatha Christie

“Always proof-read carefully to see if you any words out.” ~ Author Unknown