Q: My Mexican bird of paradise grows well but it looks too thin. Or is that its natural way? I would like it to fill in and be healthy looking.
Home and Garden
It’s summer, and for the residential real estate market, that means it’s the height of the buying and selling season. With low supply levels, home prices continue to climb and Las Vegas is indeed a seller’s market.
Q: As I was changing the fluorescent light tube in my ceiling fixture, I rotated the bulb to get it out and I heard a “snap” and saw things falling from the fixture. I cringed and waited for the pain. When I opened my eyes and realized I wasn’t hurt, I noticed that the end clips of the fixture (where the pins of the fluorescent tube go) were broken. Should I replace the fixture or can it be repaired?
For those of you following my desert landscape design class, I have scheduled a second eight-week, class beginning Saturday, July 7, in the afternoons. There are only a few seats remaining before it will be full. The next landscaping design class will be offered in late October.
The green, green grass of home is now zeroscape. Or is it xeriscape? Or maybe it’s just plain old drought-tolerant landscaping. Any way you describe it, those fabulous green front lawns that were so common throughout Southern Nevada 20 years ago have become landscapes that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water.
Dear Gail: We’ve just moved from Chicago as we’re so over the cold weather, snowstorms and gearing up just to get to work. We know that the Las Vegas summers are hot, and although we’re not sure if we’re ready, at least we don’t have to shovel heat. We have two dogs and are in the process of designing our backyard. Do you have any Las Vegas weather puppy tips? — Vini
Thank you for your support of my landscape design class beginning in July. The class size is limited, and the eight-week class I offered filled quickly.
Outside of big-box stores, locals are finding a tight-knit community of buyers and sellers of upcycled and refurbished furnishings for their homes and patios.
Q: I have a door that divides a dining room and family room. I removed the door and jambs and want to finish the wall as a pass-through opening. My problem is that I want to finish the opening with an arch. I have done some drywall work but have not done any arches. How hard is this to do?
Q: I want to do something with my yard. I am sick of it being so ugly, but I’m not sure where to start. I had some landscapers who quoted me some prices for doing everything, but they are very expensive. How do I get started?
The newest mantra for outdoor chefs is “griddling.” The outdoor griddle’s innovative technology allows chefs to go from breakfast to lunch to dinner with desserts and snacks in between. Foods that could never be cooked on a traditional grill are now cooked outdoors including eggs, grilled cheese, stir fry, cheese steaks, quesadillas and delicate fish — or even try teppanyaki-style cooking.
Gardeners understand the importance of an ideal place to nurture and grow their crops. Interior designers understand the importance of carving out a space to tend to your inner growth.
“Small is beautiful.” — E.F. Schumacher (1911-1977), German-born British economist and author of the “Small Is Beautiful” series of books
Q: Wondering if you have any recommendations for varieties of pineapple guava that will fruit in the Las Vegas Valley. Thanks for putting that list of fruit trees that grow well in the Las Vegas area.
Imagining the colors of a child’s room or brainstorming bold ideas for an accent wall are pretty common thoughts that swirl in the minds of DIY-obsessed homeowners. These interior paint jobs add character and personalize a home.