Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/130547
Q 5 4 3 2 1 Go Tropical With Your Garden Entrance Bold pops of colour and foliage bring a touch of the tropics to B.C.'s coastal climate. Start this eye-catching style at the sidewalk with colourful begonias (1) in saturated hues of orange and red. Alongside these vivid annuals, set sea-green rosettes of Aeonium (2). On guard, flamboyant variegated canna lilies welcome visitors (3). Their stature, capped with brilliant-orange blossoms, is guaranteed to grab attention. Provide a transition zone to the home with more traditional plantings, such as true dwarf boxwood (Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa', 4). Clipped into a square, these repeat the formality of the stone wall and denote entry to the enclosed front garden. Large hostas (5) are massed in front of the home's foundation. Perfectly hardy in our climate, their dramatic leaves repeat those streetside. They are underplanted with an assortment of shadeloving annuals, including begonias and impatiens. Tropical plantings satisfy our yearning for exotic summer colour. The cannas and begonias produce bulb-like structures that can be dug up after the frost and overwintered in a box of wood chips in a cool, frost-free place like the garage. The Aeonium could be overwintered in a greenhouse or re-purchased seasonally. This plant combination creates a striking front entrance sure to catch the eye of every passerby. I'm trying to select an area rug for my family room, but having a tough time choosing between all the options. Any tips? KARLA AMADATSU answers: Rugs are one of the trickier purchase decisions for homeowners that's made easier by considering some basic requirements. For size, make sure that at a minimum the front legs of all sofas and chairs are on the rug, or that there is enough room to pull a chair out fully if in a dining room. A rug that is large enough to sit under all furniture and relates well to the room shape gives a custom feeling and makes a bigger impact. Next think about materials. A natural fibre rug gives fabulous texture and adds a more casual, organic addition to a space. But if softness underfoot is a priority, it's not your best bet. A cut pile wool rug wears wonderfully, has the softness that a natural fibre rug lacks and offers a wider palette of colours. Or try a dhurrie rug, woven of cotton or wool. These are great even layered over broadloom, and come in both solid colours and wonderful graphic patterns. Finally, what contribution do you want your rug to make to your room design? It can truly be the focus of the room when in a bold pattern, or add subtle softness and texture, letting other room elements shine. PHOTO Orissa area rug courtesy Crate and Barrel Plant By Numbers 1. Tuberous begonia 2. Aeonium 3. Canna lily 4. Dwarf boxwood 5. Hosta PHOTO Andrea Sirois p54-57_AskTheExperts.indd 56 13-05-01 4:20 PM