Fracking is a divisive issue, and properly regulating it is difficult until conclusive data are available. By Tanya Ishikawa At least two truths about fracking are indisputable: It’s controversial and the risks to human health and the environment are not clearly known. The fracking process is becoming better understood, but experts agree that more data and […]
A whole host of creatures inhabit leaf litter, helping to keep the soil healthy and the cycle of life intact. By Ruthanne Johnson Illustrations by Patricia J. Wynne, www.patriciawynne.com For those of us who grew up reading Dr. Seuss’ children’s stories, who can forget the lovable elephant Horton, with his gigantic, sonar-like ears that pick […]
It’s easy to grow from seed if you follow these tips. By Carol O’Meara Do seed packets on store shelves have you thinking about planting? Concerns over big agriculture, food safety and the environment, along with an interest in heirloom plants, are driving a robust seed industry. “More people are gardening, and there’s a resurgence […]
As long as you water regularly, most plants can exist on what Mother Nature provides. Some may need a little assist, though, particularly houseplants and flowers. By Diana Maranhao Other than watering, Mother Nature can usually provide for our plants. Healthy green plants with new growth never need fertilizing. Native plants and most trees don’t […]
Got spring fever? Here are a few of Colorado’s more offbeat getaways. By Ruthanne Johnson You’ve been holed up all winter. Now the trees are budding, the birds are twittering and you’ve got a serious case of spring fever. If you’ve got the itch to roam, Colorado has your balm. But why stick to the […]
As improbable as it seems, Boulder County is home to many ferns, some of which could grow in your garden. By Panayoti Kelaidis It would be entirely possible for someone to grow up in Colorado and never notice a wild fern growing anywhere in the state. Unlike maritime climates, where whole hillsides and woodlands are […]
This yard morphed from a pile of ugly mulch to the site of a wedding and a garden tour. By Lisa Truesdale Photos by Kate Zari Roberts and Richard Gillies When Kirsten Gillies first saw her future husband’s home in northeast Longmont, she was amazed. As one of the neighborhood’s former model homes, it had elegant, […]
This couple polished their north Boulder home to brilliance after it fell into utter disrepair. By Lisa Marshall photos by www.weinrauchphotography.com Tiffany Myers and Steffan Knapp were definitely not in the market for a fixer-upper. After remodeling their ’70s-era Wonderland Lake home and plunging headlong into their work, taking on anything else would be overwhelming. […]
From sunny to shady, a spot exists somewhere in your garden for these native plants. Native shrubs often lack appeal when viewed at the nursery. Compared with the fancy flowers of azaleas, hydrangeas and peonies—all tricked out as if they’re heading to a gala—it’s easy to overlook the scraggly vegetation in the native-plants corner. In […]
Farm-to-table dining is not only festive, it enriches the community and the spirit. By Ainslee Kellogg Mac Naughton To skeptics of farm-to-table dining, Eric Skokan offers this challenge: Eat a spring pea harvested in early June at his farm and then eat a spring pea bought at the grocery store. “You can really taste the […]
We all put a few spring-cleaning chores into the “out of sight, out of mind” category, but some tasks are vital to a healthy household. Here are ones we often overlook. By Rebecca Schneider Spring is the time to tackle all the chores we’ve turned a blind eye to all winter. But some items we […]
The folks at LifeSoap, a small, family-owned Denver company, have a skin-soothing formula for helping others. When you purchase their bath and body products—all made with natural and organic ingredients, including lavender, citrus, shea butter and mint—you’ll help the global community, because LifeSoap donates 10 percent of every purchase to clean-water projects in developing countries. […]
And the award goes to…Outdoor Craftsmen! The newest trophy for Erie-based Outdoor Craftsmen is the prestigious ELITE (Elevating the Landscape Industry Through Excellence) Sustainability Award from the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC). The landscape design firm renovated a tired, 3-acre Gunbarrel Ranch landscape that consisted of turf and overgrown shrubs with inefficient irrigation. The […]
If you love eating food fresh from the garden but find growing vegetables intimidating, you should join The Urban Farm Co.’s “Garden Club.” The club wants to reach people who say growing food is too difficult, time-consuming or stressful, says company founder Bryant Mason. The Garden Club sends out free weekly emails and texts to […]
Parrish can make your life beautiful with a custom kitchen, bath or custom cabinetry. With over 45 years in Boulder we can create your dream home inside and out from start to finish. Design/Build brings it all together for cost savings, seamless project management and most of all a more functional […]
Nothing beats the flavor of fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. Make this your biggest and tastiest tomato harvest yet with proper planting and care. By Melinda Myers Reduce pest problems and increase the harvest by growing your tomatoes in a sunny location with well-drained soil or in a quality potting mix for container gardens. Improve your garden soil […]
Have you noticed many evergreens turning brown? The warm weather over the past couple weeks has gotten a lot of folks outdoors and enjoying the beautiful weather. While on strolls, hikes, and other outdoor activities, something noticeably wrong is standing out with the pine, spruce and fir. The usual backdrop of the evergreen foliage is […]
What we’ve learned about the Emerald Ash Borer This spring, as Boulder County residents anticipate the second season of defense against the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), it’s a good time to take stock of what we have learned since this devastating insect was first discovered in Boulder, Colo., 17 months or so ago. Much of […]
Dear Reader: Here we are at the winter issue and it hasn’t felt much like winter, except for that brief Arctic blast in November. As long as we get snow in the mountains, though, I’m OK with that. Besides snow, self-reflection is one other thing winter is good for. To bring the year that’s past […]
Consider reupholstering furniture when it starts showing its age. It not only benefits the environment, it could improve your health. By Lisa Marshall before-and-after photos courtesy lombardi upholstery After years of searching in vain for a trigger for her son’s frequent rashes and asthma attacks, Jacqueline Noel vowed to create a fresh start when she […]
Photo Devi Chung