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Topic: Landscaping



Date Posted: Thursday, May 28, 2015
Posted by: Tanya Zanfa (Master Admin)
Source: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150524/entlife/150529212/


From plantings to lighting, plan for the perfect party


From plantings to lighting, plan for the perfect party

By Jean Murphy
Daily Herald Correspondent

Your child is graduating from high school or college. A family member is getting married and you want to throw the reception or a shower. Your spouse is turning 40, 50 or 60.

No matter the occasion, chances are that you will at least consider holding the celebration in your yard this summer. But if you are going to do that, you need to think ahead and start sprucing up your outdoor entertaining space well in advance.

The advantage of entertaining at home is that much of what you do will permanently upgrade your yard and can be enjoyed well after the party is a memory and the photos are posted on Facebook.

For instance, you might decide to plant some new trees and bushes to enhance your less-than-perfect outdoor space. Or, according to Jaci Kator, co-owner of The Flower Wagon Garden Center in South Elgin, you could fill flower beds with annuals for a quick pop of color, fill those beds with perennials that will provide color this year and for many years in the future or punctuate your outdoor spaces with colorful flower pots, hanging baskets and even yard art and fountains.

"Customers often bring in photos of their current yards on their phones and ask my husband, Rich, for advice because they don't know what to do to improve things. He doesn't do formal designs, but he will sketch out ideas for them, based on whether they want flowering vegetation or green vegetation, what direction the space is facing and how much sun it gets, etc.," Kator said.

The quickest fix to an uninspiring yard, however, is to buy The Flower Wagon's No. 1 seller, hanging baskets. They grow over 50 varieties in their more than 20,000 square feet of greenhouses.

A similar quick fix can come from the purchase of custom planters which are extremely popular with busy people who don't have the time and with people who lack the artistic eye to plant them themselves.

"Many of our Millennial customers are both working and have no time to garden. So, they like to buy ready-made, custom planters and just put them on their front porch or deck," she explained. "They can be grouped for a big impact during a party and maybe distributed around the yard after the party is over. Planters can also be replanted with fall plants like mums, kale and celosia when the weather starts to cool.

"Planting new shrubs and perennials like hostas and coleus are actually an economical way to not only spruce it up for a party, but also to increase the re-sale value of your home. They last year-after-year and add interest to the yard, increasing its curb appeal," Kator continued.

When you start planting those precious purchases, be sure to look at the instructions on the plant stick and plant them as directed so that the flowers, greens or shrubs have enough room to spread out. Kator advised that you plant in odd numbers. Don't plant two rose bushes, for instance, plant one, three or five and consider planting them in a triangle configuration for a nice look.

If you choose to buy flats of annuals or perennials and decide to plant them in garden beds, Kator suggested that you plant in a monotone of one color, or in two different colors, plus greenery for added texture. The same goes for pots. She said that mixing more than two colors can make a pot or a bed appear "too busy."

Another tip: if your home is built of a neutral siding, brick or stone, be sure to choose bright colors for your flowers so that they can be readily seen against the house.

If you anticipate your party extending beyond dark, you should also consider adding outdoor lighting for the enjoyment and safety of your guests.

Basic outdoor lighting falls into two basic categories -- architectural lighting on the house and landscape lighting on the trees and plant material, according to Jennifer Gibson, design consultant with Littman Bros. Lighting, 845 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.

Both increase the attractiveness of the home and yard year-round. Architectural lighting is used to accent and give depth to the architectural details of the home like the corners and flat wall surfaces between windows and even deck railings and to wash light over alternating steps for the safety of the homeowners and guests alike.

Low-voltage landscape lighting can be used to illuminate tree trunks and canopies, planting beds, low shrubs and paths, as well as focal points like bird baths and fountains. Trees are lit from below using narrow beams of light shining directly up to the canopy along the trunk.

Focal points are generally lit using two criss-crossing beams from either side so that the item does not appear flat.

Paths, beds and shrubs are generally lit using taller lights with shades to allow the light to shine down on whatever you are choosing to illuminate.

They are generally placed about 10 feet apart. Lighting run under the railing of a deck is similar to that used under cabinets inside the home, but it is made for outdoor use. It lends both a lovely glow and definition to a deck.

Both categories of lighting come in three types -- halogen, solar and LED -- and can be run without the help of an electrician because they use low voltage.

Gibson recommends that homeowners choose LED bulbs for their outdoor lighting systems. Halogen systems use a lot of electricity and the bulbs need to be changed yearly.

Solar systems don't give a uniform look because the intensity of each light depends upon the sunlight it absorbs during the day and, obviously, different areas of your yard get differing amounts of sun.

LED bulbs cost the most initially, but they last much longer and use much less energy. You can generally recoup your initial investment in two years, due to lower energy bills, she said.

To add further atmosphere, novelty outdoor lighting like low voltage chandeliers and light/fan combinations that can be hung from pergolas are also available, as are outdoor sconces that can be installed on deck and pergola posts, Gibson added.

Setting the stage for that party ends with renting any additional items you need like tents, tables, chairs, linens, novelty food makers like hot dog cookers, cotton candy machines, sno-kone machines, etc., sports items, moonwalks and maybe a dance floor.

"Most people stick to renting the nuts and bolts like tents, lights, bars, tables, chairs and linens," said Marcus Smith, manager of the Taylor Rental Party Plus store at 2153 N. Rand Road, Palatine. "Some will also rent an amplifier that can be plugged into an iPod or iPad and fans or heaters, depending on the weather."

"But moonwalks of various designs and our tiki bar with its big grass roof are also in high demand," he added.

Delivery, set up and pick up is included with 90 percent of the Party Plus store's rentals, Smith said.



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