HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-05-05, Page 13THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1999. PAGE 13.
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J lome <§" Garden 1999
Woman’s hobby blooms with new greenhouse
For a friend
So pleased is van Vliet with her new greenhouse that she
invited friends recently to an open house. A special guest
was a sister of the late Margaret Caldwell, the
greenhouse's previous owner.
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
As a working mom years ago,.
Lois van Vliet had always admired
the gorgeous flowers of her Blyth
neighbours.
"I said when I retired I was going
to have nice gardens too, so now I
do," says van Vliet.
Her love of horticulture has
brought a new addition to the
property with the inclusion of a
small greenhouse, van Vliet says
that in 1973 when they bought their
older two-storey on Queen Street
the greenhouse located behind the
house didn't come with it. "It was
owned jointly with the next door
neighbour so they moved it to their
property.
That neighbour, well-known in
the village for her green thumb and
lovely gardens, became a mentor to
van Vliet. "I started into flowers in
1991 and Marg (Caldwell) was
always there when I needed her
advice."
van Vliet proved an avid pupil,
with her lovely flowerbed attracting
attention each summer. She also, as
a member of the Horticultural
Society is responsible for the
planters in the municipal parking
lot.
Her latest passion is growing
Finding new ways to accent a
home with flowers is fun for
horticulturalists. Lois van
Vliet's mix of pink and purple
was so well liked she plans to
repeat the scheme this year.
orchids, which she discovered at
Toronto's Canada Bloom Show. "I
fell in love," she says. "They say if
you can grow African violets you
can grow orchids. So far, so good."
Having shared a love of
flowers with Mrs. Caldwell, it
seemed only natural that when she
passed away, the greenhouse should
go to van Vliet. It was dismantled,
and van Vliet's husband Con rebuilt
it. The paint was stripped and
redone and a new fibreglass roof
added.
On a sunny April day, the
greenhouse is an environment in
which van Vliet's cuttings and
seedling thrive.
So does van Vliet. "I spend my
mornings out here. The flowers give
me such satisfaction, it's like
creating art. And it's also nice to
know that the people appreciate it."
For your pleasure
The beauty of a well-tended flowerbed is not just a
pleasure to create for the gardener, but also offers a
lovely setting for passersby.
Building a hobby
Con van Vliet rebuilt the greenhouse, as another aspect
of his wife Lois's gardening hobby.
Make cabinets look like new
(NC) — Are your kitchen
cabinets in need of a facelift? Dark
wood styles and laminates of the
70s don't cut it today and can date
your entire kitchen. Most cabinets
can be painted easily to give your
kitchen a new look. Consider the
bright, clean look of white paint,
homey country blue or green
washes, and contemporary looking
bright or multi-colored looks.
The key to successful cabinet
painting is preparing the surface
before dipping the brush into the
paint, according to a company that
has made paint additives and
surface preparations for more than
150 years.
Most think of hours of sanding
when they think of surface
preparation, but the following
technique requires no sandpaper.
First, remove the doors, hinges
and handles. Even if you plan to
update hinges and handles, hang
onto one of each to match hole
placement and sizes at the store.
For paint to stick, you need to
create a surface the paint can bond
to. While many use sandpaper, an
easier, more effective way is a
chemical that reacts with the
existing surface and leaves a
chemical bond to which the fresh
paint will adhere.
Simply paint the cabinet doors
and frames, re-apply the hinges and
your kitchen will look like new.
- News Canada
JIM ANDERSON
TREE MOVING SERVICES
'Brussels
VARIETY INC.
Look what we have
OUT THE BACK
A whole greenhouse full of garden
flowers, perfect for Mother's Day
including:
■ Hanging Flowering Baskets
■ 6" mixed pots for Mother's Day
■ Wall Bags ■ Patio Pots
■ And lots more
Open 7 days a week for
your convenience
Brussels
Phone or Fax
• We supply and plant large trees - many varieties to choose from
• Quality trees at prices you can afford
R.R. #1, LONDESBORO 523-4894 Evenings
ALSO AVAILABLE: Seed potatoes, corn, peas, beans and
onions, bedding plants, spikes, geraniums and much more.
Excellent Quality and Selection