Event Alert – Keg and Furniture Bank

I’m sure you must be aware by now that one of my all-time causes is the Furniture Bank.  Since childhood, I’ve participated in charitable events.  Does anyone remember Variety Villages’ Bike – a – thon?  Did it for years.

Well, now my energy goes to the Furniture Bank.  Right here in Toronto, the Furniture Bank is responsible for redirecting thousands of tons of furniture and household goods that would have ended up in landfills, helps thousands of families make their homes comfortable and liveable by providing items we just take for granted – like mattresses, bedding, sofa’s, chairs, utensils, etc.  I’ve volunteered as a client consultant and this will be the second year that I will be participating in the Chair Affair.  More on that later.

You too can help the Furniture Bank from the comfort of your own home by simply voting for it on the Keg’s 40th Anniversary Thanks a Million Grant program.  Just vote for it every day until June 14th, to help them win a a much needed grant of $25,000.

It’s really easy.  Just click here  every day for the next 2 weeks and vote for the Furniture Bank.

Thanks a Million!!!

Cheers!

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Event Alert – Luminart Sale

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Splitting Hostas or Day Lilies

Whether you’re a novice gardener or have been gardening for years, it’s always amazing to wander around your garden at this time of year and watch your garden grow and multiply.

Follow these easy steps to grow your hostas or day lillies:

It’s best to split a hosta or day lilly in the fall after a full summer’s growth, BUT, if you have large, healthy plants that are already mature, you can do it in the spring as these plants have revealed their full season’s growth. Select one that is at least three years old or more.

1. The next step is to take your mulch fork or shovel and shove it into the ground around the perimeter of the plant. Gently lift it up to uproot the plant until it is completely out of the ground. Both plant types can have large root balls up to 20 inches in diameter, so dig up about 12 inches away from the root of the plant.
2. Once the plant is out of the ground, you will need to split it. Some gardeners prefer using a sharp straight blade shovel, place it at the centre of the plant and use your foot to make a quick slice through the centre of the plant, you now have two plants. If you have a good sized plant, you may be able to divide each half again for a total of four plants. As you divide just make sure that you have a good size root bulb for each plant, about a double handful.
3. Prepare your planting holes for your new plants. Dig holes 2 to 4 times larger than the plant you are planting. If you have rich soil, amend it with slow realize fertilizer. Use a small handful and mix it well with the soil.
4. Now, place the amended soil into the plant holes to bring the perennial crown slightly above the surrounding grade while holding the plant in place. Fill the sides of the hole with the amended soil. Pack the soil tightly to eliminate any air voids.
5. Cover the planting area with 4 inches of mulch, and water thoroughly. If you transplant in the spring you may find your lilies may not flower until the following spring, you have to think of it as a long term investment. Day lilies can overrun your garden so it is wise to split them if this happens.

Hostas are very popular in a shady garden and can take up a lot of space if you need them to; they are known for their foliage in many different shades. You may have neighbors that want to split these with you, which is always ideal and will save you some money.

It’s a perfect thing to do this long weekend!

Nicola Bishop

bishop4086@rogers.com

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BILD Awards

Happy Monday everyone!

I’ve finally readjusted to my new life back at work full-time and I’m so pleased to share some fun things that I’ve experience these past weeks.

One very exciting event that occurred about a week ago was the BILD(Building Industry and Land Development) awards; or the housing industry ACADEMY AWARDS, as we in the industry like to call it.  And if you’ve been around as long as I have, then you’ll remember them being called the SAM (Sales and Marketing) Awards.  But that’s when BILD was called the THBA or Toronto Home Builders Association.

I’ve been out of the game for a couple of years and so it was exciting to see old friends.

This year BILD received over 1000 submissions for the 46 categories.  The judges were industry professionals from all over the country.  I don’t envy that job because it’s a very difficult task choosing from so many amazing developments.

The Pinnacle Awards went to:

HOME BUILDER OF THE YEAR –  Mattamy Homes

GREEN BUILDER OF THE YEAR High Rise – TRIDEL

GREEN BUILDER OF THE YEAR Low Rise – Empire Communities

PROJECT OF THE YEAR Highrise – Five St. Joseph

PROJECT OF THE YEAR Lowrise – Mount Pleasant Village

To see the rest of the winners this year check out the BILD Awards, and see if you are living in an award-winning development!

Cheers!

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Event Alert – At Made

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