PAGE A2, WITBY FREE PRESS, OUTDOOR LIVING, MAY 25, 1988 Outdoor 'iving space' structures are beconZiin mr ppa B-y VERONICA COLANGELO "Outdoor Living' --you see these two words every time you pick up a magazine or newspaper. It seems that during the precious few months of pleasant weather we have in our cimate everyone wants to enjoy their leisure time out of doors. Landscape architects, even interior designers, refer to the space outside surrounding our homes as 'living space." No longer it is just the "backyard." Garden structures and garden related construction are becoming more and more a trend, as people seek refuge on their own plot of ground, away from the stress *of living in today's busy society. The ancient Greeks hosted friends and relatives on stone terraces attached to the backs of their residences. Today we caIl these patios and use them for much the same reasons. JACOBSEN RIDING MOWER 301/2 INCH CUT 5 SPEEDS FORWARD PLUS REVERSE FROM %$ 1499.oo HR-830 GAS POWERED FROM 8,1 an 12hp LAWN TRIMMERS 179.oo SLadies' & mens' cruise and active wear. Ladies cruisewear & swimwear firom *,A good seleetion of mens' will soon be ii * 30 Minute Tanning Session Mn.-s.101 10 for $49 20 for $89 Mo. &Sun. 10-10 Students $4 per session. Day Cane for S.965 Dundas St. W. (West Lynde Plaza) Whitby 668-7050 That's rigi Mans' exclusivc O qualuty granula During the days of the Roman Republic and Empire, homes had an interior courtyard that was referred to as the atrium. The patrician senator'Cicero claimed that people felt more at ease "under the sky, where rank and privilege are Iess meaningful." In the Middle Ages, elaborate pavilions and enclosed garden areas for outdoor parties were popular. In quieter Victorian times, the garden gazebo was an! outdoor structure created for quiet dining or simply enjoying a warmn summer afternoon, sipping a cool drink. While it's doubtful that we'1l ever return to those more gentile times, many people are enjoying the addition of a gazebo to their outdoor living space. A gazebo might be described as a freestanding, roofed structure without solid walls that offers respite fromn direct sunlight. A visit to the home shows this spring conflrmed that these outdoor structures are becoming more popular and important parts of the landscape. Many of the larger garden centres in Durham Region are showing some form of the gazebo. Most often gazebos are bufit of -By VERONICA COLANGELO To many gardeners the planting of bulbs is associated with the fali of the year. Certainly a wide variety of bulbs are planted at this time, tulips and daffodils the two most commonly known. There are, as well, as variety of summer flowering bulbs that can be planted now and that will bloom this summer and fali. Here are a few of them. Caladium: Calaciums are a good choice for containers and are often used as house plants. Their culturelis similar to that of the tuberous begonia and make a good companion plant for them as well. They require a shady location and will brighten a dark wood and tend to be octagonal in shape with open sides in order to allow for the passage of cooling breezes on a summer's day and at the same tirne give shelter from the hot sun. If your backyard is graced with a swimming pool, a gazebo corner with their gorgeous in striking color combinati pinks, red, green and whil, flowers are insignificant shôuld be removed when appear. In the faîl lift the withhold water and store next spring. Acidanthera: This merr the gladioli famnily is a ger fragrance is outstil Acidanthera's blossoms are with purple.black markdi make choice specimens for design. Acidanthera is grov like gladioli, but wil m more rapidly. These, too, Tr lifted in the faîl and indoors over winter, to bef out again when spring ari Gloriosa lily: This exoti BON APPETITE!1 it! The Weed Our specially formulated e time releaseD fertilizer releases its enriching SPRING START- UP( r fertilizer wiIt benefits slowly throughout the year. ~ ECI~L make your C) The best fed grass in town! la"n thicker, 49Q Spring Fertilizer and r'egreener and eI1% a Spring Weed Cont roi Sheaithier WE CARE FOR YOUR LAWN. for as littie as -rght before 6 -' IO *Fo $28.00% 1' your eyes. 0s6 6 6 m )18 7 *For2000Sq.Ft. of Iawn or less ýJ 0 nearby is a perfect addition to provide a spot to relax in. Peter Escholtz of Peterbuilt Construction, Brooklin, says that "isome people have, screening installed in their gazebos in order to sit outside on warm nights and not have to contend with the bugs." A "pergola"' refers to a rectangular post, and beaxn overhead structure that often is used as a support for climbing vines. such as grapes, honeysuckle, and tr-umpet vines. The vines provide shade and can be used as an inviting place to set up outdoor chairs and tables. The kids haven't béen forgotten in the outdoor living space either. Do-it-yourself books are filled with novel and interesting designs for play* structures for children. Most have features for climbing and sliding and some even have a "tree fort" type arrangement situated somewhere on top of the climbing apparatus. Things have certainly corne a long waly from the days where kids gathered old bits of wood, a borrowed hammer and some nails and headed for the nearest large tree to try their handywork. leaves is a climber with an unusual ions of purple-red flower edged in yellow. te. The This plant makes an excellent t and container choice and summer n they happily on the deck or balcony. If Sbulbs, it doesn't bloomi by summer's end, euntil bring it1 in and in a sunny window, it will flower for you nber of there. Give it a rest after mn! The flowering, by witholding water, ýnding. and then pot it up in January or cream February for next year's bloom in igs and early summer. )r floral Ismene: Commonly called wn just "Peruvian Daffodil" (they are not nultiply related), these plants should not nust be be put into the garden until the stored weather is quite warmn. Early planted June is about right. The flowers ves. are very sweetly scented and ic "lily"' corne in white and yellow varieties. Ismenes will be happy blooming in full sun or partial- shade. 7 ~Tigridia (Mexican Sheli Flower): These flowers corne in a brilliant display of yellows, oranges, maroons and pinks with contrnasting spots. They like full 3) sun and sandy loanm. These too make excellent potted plants. Incarvilleas: They are often referred to as "hardy gloxinia." They do somewhat resemble that flower. However, I have not found them to be hardy here in the. Durham area. The flowers are lilac-pink with lovely dark green foliage. The plant grows to about 10 inches.1 Bletilla: This is a hardy Gorchid that originated in China. It ha ruffied pink blooms that resemble miniature cattleya orchids. They are very dwarf and nice in containers in moist soul with semi shade. Although the literature that accompanies these bulbs say they are winter hardy, I have not found this to be the case. Crinum: This is a bulb, that originated in India. "Powellii" is the name of a variety readily available in garden centres. The bloom is similar to that of an amaryllis, dark rose pink in color and very fragrant. This bulb grows and develops quickly and' forms offsets rapidly. Alil of the above "bulbs" should be considered tender and lifted in the fali. Bletilla is the only one that may be hardy in some parts of Southern Ontario. I haven't found this to be the case here. Plant bulhs now for summer flowering a gt et