This organic garden stays healthy because its soil creatures are happy with the homeowners’ till-free techniques. Barbara Miller caught the gardening itch at an early age. Her childhood chore was tending the family strawberry patch and selling the berries. “I sold quarts on the roadside for a quarter,” recalls the Boulder gardener. “That was a […]
The secret to a great garden lies just beneath your feet. Hardy blooms start with healthy soil, and spring is the ideal time to get your dirt in tip-top shape. “The bottom line is that soil is a living system, providing the fundamental support for all terrestrial life,” says Dr. Jean Reeder, retired soil scientist […]
With all of the time and effort we spend on our gardens, we sometimes forget that Mother Nature is the best gardener of all. Here is an illustrated guide to her creations, some of which thrive in urban gardens, too. Illustrations by Hilary Forsyth, courtesy Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks Wildflowers unfailingly appear year […]
If you think gardening is just a bunch of work, think again and you may discover this pastime’s therapeutic benefits. If gardening is more work than pleasure to you, take stock: You may not be doing it right. Planting a flower may not seem like therapy, but countless studies show that gardening promotes healing and […]
What better place to have a wedding than your own home, especially if you’re on a budget. After all, home is where the heart is. You’ve finally snagged the perfect partner. You’re wearing the ring and you’ve picked the date, but the hotel ballrooms and country club spaces don’t feel quite right. Maybe it’s time […]
If there’s one bulb that goes off in your head, it should be green. Energy-efficient lighting is a relatively quick way to reduce energy consumption, green your home and save cash in the long term. Edison’s light bulb was a techno-miracle of metal, glass and gas that revolutionized our lives. But in today’s energy-conscientious world, […]
This remodel’s eclectic mix of Mardi Gras, feng shui, rock-’n’-roll, down-home, family and New Age themes adds up to one thing: Laissez les bons temps rouler! Walk room to room in Bobbie Owens’ Boulder bungalow and you almost feel your moods shift with each new hue. In the living room, sunlit sage-green walls seem to […]
A polka-dot makeover made this teen realize the value of hard work. Photos by Elma Dornberger My name is Fiona Dornberger and I am 13. Last summer, when I was 12, I decided that I was going to remodel my bedroom. I was expecting lots of changes in the fall with a new school […]
This year’s décor trends are budget-conscious and green. We all know the fashion police. They’re the ones who tell us what to wear and when to wear it. Though less familiar, the décor police sway us, too. Without their guidance, our homes might still be rife with shag carpeting, wood paneling and olive-green appliances. Like […]
Some of the earliest healthy-eating advice I can remember—at least when it came to green, leafy vegetables—I received not from my mother, but rather from an unlikely source: Popeye. “I’m strong to the finich, ’cause I eats me spinach,” he used to proclaim, extolling the virtues of spinach as a rich source of vitamins and […]
Instead of winter escapes, think winterscapes! Take advantage of the cold to design your landscape with this advice from a local landscape architect. By Scott Willhite I have to admit, I do it too. I go to my favorite nursery and inevitably leave with a trunk-load of irresistible plants, only to get home and realize […]
Fall is the time to prepare your lawn for spring. A lawn expert explains why “green” lawns are greener and what you need to do in the fall to get your lawn ready for spring. Have you ever wondered why some well-kept lawns are greener than others, particularly organically maintained lawns? Organic products feed the […]
If you’re interested in environmental sustainability, vermicomposting is one can of worms you’ll want to open. “Starve a landfill. Feed a worm.” That’s a mantra John Anderson, aka “Worm Man,” has recited for a decade. Traveling the Front Range in his refurbished ’75 Dodge “Wormbulance,” Anderson serves as the self-appointed spokesman for what he lovingly […]
Make your home healthier and greener with sustainable flooring. Here are some smart options to put underfoot. If you want to green your home from the ground up, start with the floor. We asked the following experts to describe today’s sustainable flooring options: Jarrus Steele of Go Green Flooring in Boulder, a retailer of environmentally […]
Easy ways to make your home healthier and environmentally friendlier. You care about your health and the environment, so you eat organic food and buy furnishings made from sustainably harvested wood. But hidden health dangers most likely lurk in the cabinets of your home’s most popular room—the kitchen. Here are nine health-related issues to consider, […]
If antiques could talk, we’d hear a thousand tales from this historic Boulder home furnished with antiques the homeowners have collected over a lifetime. Photos by Ron Forth Not just anyone knows what a pole screen is—or even what it does. But Donn and Kathy do, and when they got a tip that one was […]
If you’re looking to green your home from the ground up, here’s some advice an recommendations from a couple who did just that. Photos by Ruthanne Johnson The average American home is far from friendly when it comes to the environment. From the petroleum-based roof overhead to the chemically sealed foundation below, the conventional home […]
Many agaves, yuccas and other succulents perfectly partner with our semiarid climate and cold winters. They also add sculptural interest and thrive in the garden’s hottest spots. Here’s a brief guide to some of the more fascinating specimens. For Front Range residents, the word “succulent” most likely conjures up visions of prickly pears, which lurk […]
Mulches are like sure-fire aces that protect plants and improve soil conditions. In the game of gardening, it pays to play with mulches. Mulches are like aces in a poker hand. Given our region’s extreme temperatures and aridity, mulches keep plants in the game by protecting them and improving soil conditions. Mulches can be once-living […]
Up to your elbows in garden tomatoes? Here’s a step-by-step guide for canning your harvest. Hint: It’s easier than you think. At harvest time, your garden’s bounty covers kitchen counters in fresh produce, warm from the sun and filled with flavor from all the TLC you’ve given it. When it’s time to pluck the last […]
