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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-05-09, Page 17the inclusion of some standard trees. One of the more ambitious projects was a small pond by the side door. The pond is in an area where a small flowerbed was located, but because of the shade nothing grew well. "That's what gave us the idea of doing a rock hill." Admitting that many of their ideas have been approached with a certain naive fearlessness, Melinda laughs when she says. how little they knew about building a pond. "But it's turned out well. I'm pleased with it. The. only thing we would have done differently was to have more of an area for sitting." Besides fish and turtles -for the pond, each year Melinda can be found out at her parents' pond catch- ing her supply of frogs. However, because of the pond's high traffic area, Melinda jokes that the frogs usually defect to a neighbour's. When the couple realized that the pond was not deep enough to winter the fish, Brian constructed a holding tank in the kitchen from hardwood flooring, complete with a small foun- tain and mister. The couple now has plans for another pond on the opposite side of the house, which will be visible from both streets at this corner lot. It will sit next to last year's project, the pool area. Brian's mother bought the pool for them as therapy for their daughter, Sadie, who was born with spina bifida, "We had been told that Continued on page 18 Purchase any 3.78 L Pratt 8 Lambert' Accolade' or Red Seal im Interior or Exterior paint and receive $5.00 by mail. f Mall-in rebate with proof of purchases. Maximum 5'3.7B L cans total lin any combination) per household. Offer expires June 29. 2001. TENPAS DECOR CARPET ONE CARPET ONE 122 Main St. E., Listowel 291-4440 Treeb , Landscaping & Supplies -tvir A &fed Haven'' 7.7,-,4,E 1r1 onms• rPri;?. Avva i" „...."1;,-*: • At TREEBELT you'll find the quality you expect, friendly, personal service, and prices you can afford. • Creative designing and planting MI Residential lawn and garden maintenance including grass cutting and fertilizing III Garden Rototilling • Flowering shrubs and perennials III Ornamental and shade trees • Screened topsoil, peat loam, crushed red chips • Windbreak trees and cedar hedging • Bulk composted sheep manure I Lawn seeding & sodding 1 MILE WEST OF BLYTH 523-9771 THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2001. PAGE 17. Home & Garden 2001 Couple indulges love ofgardening, decorating • have any desire to dig in when grow- ing up, Melinda feels that her mother influenced her interest in gardening. "She has gorgeous flowerbeds. I never helped her with them," she says with a smile, "but I think seeing them, living there, has made me want the same. I get a lot of ideas from her." One of the first areas landscaped was done almost more tor necessity. The lawn mower was shaving the grass from a steep hill at the front of the home leaving it burnt. Brian and Melinda started by turning "a small chunk" into flowerbed. "Every sum- mer it seemed I just started adding more.". Preferring low maintenance peren- nials, Melinda has put her faith in familiarity. "I -have found there are about 20 or so plants that are my favourites and I like to use them over and over in different areas." ' When the front deck was built onto the house-. the TenPases chose much of the.same type of landscaping with • Renovations • New Homes • Sales & Installation of Windows & Doors Soothing In order to winter the goldfish from the outdoor pond, Brian and Melinda TenPas of Brussels built a holding tank in the corner of their dining area. It's drained each year and cleaned, then refilled. A few of Melinda's "favourites" remain inside for the family to watch, while the others are moved. By Bonnie Gropp Citizqn staff Room to play has helped Brian and Melinda TenPas indulge a love for decorating and gardening. The Brussels couple bought their I I /2-storey brick home eight years ago. At the time they were expecting their first child and residing in a four-plex. The house located across the street came up for sale and Brian saw an opportunity. "He thought it would be perfect because it was so close to our renters." They have spent the years since, :is is often the case, creating a home they would now find difficult to leave. In the beginning, the TenPases dedicated much of their effort to the interior of the house. gutting rooms and raising the ceilings. Then after two or three years Brian and Melinda focussed on the spa- cious property. The I32-foot frontage and a depth of 105 feet, pro- vides an opportunity to put her pas- sion for gardening tO good use. A walk around the yard shows the result of their labour and ingenuity. While admitting she didn't exactly For the sports fan Using a bat, baseball, soccerball and basketball, Brian and Melinda devised a unique way to - decorate her sons' room in keeping with the sports theme. These were cut in half, laquered and attached to the wall on either side of the room above the boys' beds.