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www.manawatustandard.co.nz Manawatu Standard Tuesday, October 20, 2009 1

ADVERTISING FEATURE

GardenHomeMANAWATU

MAKEOVERMAGIC

OCTOBER 2009

BEFORE

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2 Manawatu Standard Tuesday, October 20, 2009 www.manawatustandard.co.nz

RENOVATION

A designer can sort it all outThere’s a time for DIY, and then there’s a time for the professional, design expert Donald Grant Sunderland writes.

Kitchen to lounge: Havingan overall concept makesthe house look complete.

Continued page 3Boring and dated: The homeowner’s furniture before the renovation. Drapes wererecycled to different parts of the house.

En suite: A simple renovation gave the old bathroom a lift. Featureglass tiles can add another dimension to the room.

Main bathroom revamp: The glass tiles provide the design linkbetween the en suite and the main bathroom.

Makeover: A reupholstered armchair and sofa. For the most cost-effective solution, recycle and refurbish existing furniture.

Even if you are a DIY person, youwill probably find that you haveto turn to the professionals ifyou want to make the most ofyour intended renovation.

After all, you want to do it right thefirst time, and to maximise thepotential value of your home withoutmaking any costly mistakes along theway.

If you have just moved into a newhome, and the financial burdens of theshift have eased, the temptation torenovate immediately is almostirresistible. But my advice is to live inthe home for a few seasons, to get thefeel of it, before you do anything.

A job that initially looked importantcould end up further down the list ofpriorities, as more crucial matters, suchas structural maintenance, come to thefore.

But in any event, you should notproceed without first obtaining a copyof the plan for the property from thecouncil. This won’t cost much, and willsave you the trouble of measuring up.It will also give you a bird’s eye viewof the layout of the house, and an ideaof any limitations imposed on it bycouncil bylaws.

You should check the plan againstthe actual house, as occasionally thetwo don’t exactly match. Make anoverlay plan, using butter or draftingpaper from your art supply shop, androughly sketch your envisagedrenovation.

As a sideline activity, begin ascrapbook of photographic examplesof appealing ideas, colours andtextures.

Everyone is on a budget, even if itruns into the tens of thousands ormillions of dollars. So with yourbudget in mind, research the averagecosts of things. Doing this may call fortrips to several kitchen/bathroomcompanies and joinery factories, andperhaps a call to a builder.

Home shows are also a good sourceof information on new products andtheir costs.

Don’t underestimate the ultimatecost of your project, which will almostcertainly be higher than you initiallyexpect it to be, and be prepared toapproach the bank for a further loanor overdraft to finish the job.Remember that it will never becheaper to complete than it is now.

Tell the architects and associatedprofessionals what your maximumbudget is, so that the overall cost ofthe renovations doesn’t exceed it.

Having done all this, you are nowready to face the professionals in their

respective fields.First in line is the architect. Most

architects can design in a range ofstyles, while maintaining the integrityof the original building. But as mosthave a natural flare for, and interest in,a particular architecture, you shouldchoose an architect who is appropriateto your needs.

Although you have come up withthe basic concept, you should giveyour architect a reasonably free hand.After all, he or she is qualified inspatial design, is aware of all the latestproducts, and knows how to completeyour project within the stipulations ofthe resource and other consents.

The issue of permits and consents isbest left to the architect, who will havean ongoing relationship with thecouncil. Handing over this side ofthings will also make the wholebuilding process a lot easier.

For a charge, the architect will co-ordinate the entire building process.But if you are on a smaller budget, you

might have to rely on the services ofyour builder.

After the plans have been approved,it’s time to employ the services of aninterior designer.

You may be reluctant to incur whatyou may perceive as an unnecessaryexpense. But in the end, you will havea renovation with an extra designedge and ‘‘wow factor’’.

The designer generally works inconsultation with the architect, so thatcolours, textures, products anddesigns are entirely appropriate.

A designer should be chosen, as inthe case of the architect, on the basisof his or her style preference.

Ensure the designer pays attentionto your family’s needs. There is nopoint in having a home that yourfamily can’t relax in, because theinterior is too formal or because thefinest silks have been used forfurnishings.


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RENOVATION

Practical design: The architect extended the window outwards by 650mm – the approximate depth of the bench. This gaveus the extra depth needed to make the kitchen a far more practical space and to create an island.

A designer cansort it all outContinued from page 2

After: Wallpaper feature walls are acceptable, but not asdesirable as painted feature walls.

But where most aesthetic and practicalmatters are concerned, let the designerhave the freedom needed to satisfac-torily complete the job. Above all, beopen to new ideas, as they are the thingsthat produce a distinctive home.

The designer should also keep an eyeon both the interior and exterior of thehome, and avoid an exclusive focus onthe renovation in progress, to avoid anunfinished look and/or a lack of stylecontinuity.

As a kitchen/bathroom designer, aswell as an interior designer, I am able tocreate the home as a whole. And bydoing this, I am also able to save youtime and money, as I can makeprovisions for soft furnishings, advise onthe reuse or purchase of furniture, andforesee possible future structuralalterations.

I was recently involved in a renovationthat started as a kitchen design project,in which I worked with the architect. Butafter discussions with the owner, wewere able to design other importantareas, such as an enclosed laundry, anintimate entertainment lounge, an open-plan dining area and a formal lounge.

We reupholstered furniture,refurbished wooden tables and cabinets,recycled drapes to other quarters,repainted all the rooms, and generallyfinished the house off at a cost that wasnot much greater than that of theoriginal kitchen job.

If you want a unique and stylishkitchen, you will find that many kitchenmanufacturers have designers associatedwith them. But check their designrecords, as you could easily end up withnothing more than a glorified flat-pack-style kitchen, lacking flare and using onlyhumdrum products and technology.

Many kitchen and bathroom designershave limited knowledge, and are unableto advise on floorings, wall finishes,window treatments, and furniture andfittings, all of which fall within thepurview of the interior designer.

The interior designer should also beable to secure better deals for you thanany retailer can provide. If you suspectyour designer is on commission at someof the places you have been taken to,don’t fret. The designer is, by law,obliged to inform you of any sucharrangements. And generally, you willhave got better deals, anyhow.

By this stage, you will have a strongdesign team on board, and will belooking for a builder. Again, make surehe is a certified or master builder, andcomes with excellent references.

The architect and designer are goodpeople to go to for advice ontradespeople. Fortunately, the publicityover leaky buildings has put most of thecowboys out of business – and left thosewho are skilled.

Get several quotes for the work, andcompare apples with apples whilemaking sure that everything required iscovered.

I tend to let the builder bring his ownteam of tradespeople – plumbers,electricians, painters and so on – to thejob. They are used to working with eachother.

To save the budget, you may wish topay for ‘‘labour only’’. But in that case, beprepared to spend endless hours awayfrom your normal employment as youensure everything is organised, suppliedand accounted for, and that there are nodelays to the work in progress.

Finally, make everyone accountablefor their actions, including the council.Under the present law, your build isguaranteed for 10 years, which meansthat, if you sell the property, you can beliable for any shoddy workmanship –especially if you have done it yourself.

So instead of doing it yourself, youmay prefer to relax and let theprofessionals take charge.

■ Donald Grant Sunderland is availablefor interior design consultations. [email protected].


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RENOVATION

Transformed: The new bathroom, which has beendecorated in shades of tea and Moroccan earth.

Right: Work in progress: Work begins on the newbathroom. When the stained carpet was lifted, itrevealed an uneven wooden floor.

End to night-time trekA new bathroom can make a huge difference to a home.Sue Emeny talks to two couples who had bathroommakeovers and were delighted with the results.

Graham and Rae Johnstone

Converting a bedroominto a bathroom was ahuge undertaking forGraham and RaeJohnstone, but was well

worth the effort.They bought their Feilding

house in June, and since thenhave put a lot of time andmoney into making it moreliveable.

When they moved in, thebathroom was appalling, thecarpets were filthy, none of thewindows opened, there was nodriveway leading to thegarage, and the house waspainted cream and baby blue.

The bathroom was the firstmajor project. It was at theopposite end of the house tothe master bedroom.

‘‘Every night, you had to goon a trek to get to thebathroom,’’ Rae says.

And it was in a pretty badway. ‘‘The shower cubicle wasfilthy and the water pressurewas so poor it was like theshower was spitting at you.There was also an old claw-footbath that was rusty on thebottom.’’

The bathroom was also tooclose to the kitchen.

Graham and Rae chose ‘‘theworst room in the house’’ to

turn into a new bathroom. Theroom had been badly paintedand there was stained carpeton the floor.

Rae visited several bathroomsuppliers to get a ‘‘ballparkfigure’’ for the cost of a newbathroom.

‘‘I couldn’t get quotes on thespot. At one place I asked forthe price for the cheapest ofeach item, but they said theywould send the quote out.’’

Rae then decided to tryPlumb’In Bathroom andKitchen Factory Shop.

‘‘Sam and Patricia Nisbetwere so good to deal with.Within five minutes, I hadquotes.’’

Graham tackled most of thework himself, but said it was

quite a job. When the carpetwas pulled up, manholes madefrom chipboard werediscovered in the floor. Theyhad been put in when thehouse was repiled 20 yearsearlier, and meant the originalflooring couldn’t be used.There were also brokenfloorboards in what turned outto be a very uneven floor.

Gib board had to bereplaced with Aqualine Giband water pipes had to bereplaced.

New flooring has been putdown, obscure glass placed inthe window and a new shower,toilet, bath and vanity installed.

Taking pride of place is thehuge spa bath. Rae thinks its old-fashioned style suits the house. ‘‘Iwasn’t intending to get a spabath, but I just loved it.’’

The work took three monthsand, all up, cost around $6000.

In the old bathroom, a laundryhas been created, and theshower, vanity and toilet havebeen retained.

Rae says that, for her, thegreatest pleasures have comefrom finding that Graham hasbeen able to do most of thework himself, and that, together,they have been able to do thedecorating.

They took the plunge

Bathroom bliss: Felicity Paintin in the en suiteshe and her husband Keith had renovated.

Bathroom renovations don’t have to beextensive and expensive.

Palmerston North couple Keith and FelicityPaintin spent around $2500 renovating an ensuite, and are delighted with the results.

They say the en suite was dreadful, and indire need of a facelift. But because the Paintinshad previously had some renovationnightmares, they kept putting it off.

‘‘We were as nervous as a kitten, as we hadhad many bad experiences with renovations,’’Mr Paintin says.

However, they knew the work had to bedone, and finally decided to take the plunge.

They began by visiting several plumbingsuppliers, in search of a new shower andvanity. But although they had a few ideas, theydidn’t know what would be suitable.

‘‘We had no knowledge of plumbing. But noone would give us any advice. We were toldwe could just order from a brochure, and toobad if it wasn’t right,’’ Mr Paintin says.

Almost in desperation, they decided to visitthe Plumb’In Bathroom and Kitchen FactoryShop on Tremaine Avenue.

‘‘Sam and Patricia Nisbet were so helpful.Patricia was able to give us a woman’sviewpoint, while Sam, who was a plumber,was able to advise us on what we needed,’’ MrPaintin says.

‘‘They didn’t push us or follow us aroundthe shop. Once we found what we wanted, wewere able to discuss the suitability of the itemswith Sam,’’ Mrs Paintin says.

‘‘We feel we have made great friends.’’The Nisbets offered to recommend a builder

and a plumber – an offer the Paintinsaccepted. Rauzi Construction did thenecessary building work, and BarsantiPlumbing took care of the rest of the project.

The original shower was behind a wall that

needed to be removed.‘‘It was like showering in the Black Hole of

Calcutta,’’ Mr Paintin says.‘‘Now it’s a pleasure to have a shower.’’The workmanship has impressed Mr Paintin,

who says he was an avid DIYer and a self-confessed perfectionist before suffering astroke.


2199064AA

RENOVATION ADVERTISING FEATURE

It’s all atPlumb’In

Welcome: Plumb’In owners Sam andPatricia Nisbet are ready to answercustomers tricky questions.

Plumb’In Palmerston North iscelebrating its first anniversaryby offering ‘‘fantastic savings’’on a range of products duringthe four days of Labour

Weekend.For bathroom inspiration, call into

Plumb’In over this weekend and letthe team at Plumb’In show youvanities, showers, baths, spa baths,toilets, accessories and much more tomake your bathroom a great place tostart each day.

The plumbing supplies companyhas more than 50 vanities on display,as well as a comprehensive range ofshowers, baths, spa baths, toilets, taps,sinks, laundry tubs, and waste disposalsystems.

This means that you are able to seeexactly what you are buying.

Whether you are building a newhome, renovating your existing homeor upgrading a rental property,Plumb’In can help you to add value toyour property.

‘‘Our promise of ‘high quality, lowprice’ means you don’t have tocompromise to get the look you wantin your home,’’ say Sam and PatriciaNisbet, the owners of Plumb’InPalmerston North.

‘‘When you come to Plumb’In, youwill be able to choose from a selection

of high-quality brand names likeEnglefield, Aquatica, Clearlite, Caromaand Alpha.

‘‘You will also get top advice andservice from people who know theirproducts and who will work with youto ensure the product you choosemeets your needs.’’

Sam and Patricia find that customersoften need to ask a lot of questionsbefore they buy a plumbing product.But thanks to more than 30 years’experience in plumbing, Sam is able tosolve even the knottiest problems.

Summer is just around the corner,and it might be time for a new look inyour bathroom or laundry -- a lookthat the team at Plumb’In can helpyou to create, at a price you can afford.

All this makes Plumb’In a greatplace to make your dreams for yourhome come true.


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FEATURE HOME

Character enhancedTim and Pauline Cook, who always wanted an indoor/outdoor area, have been able to make their dream come true.

Sue Emeny visits a home transformed.

Facelift: While manyrooms of the Cookhouse were given acomplete makeover,some were simplyupdated.

Dream kitchen: Tim and Pauline Cook at the central island of their new kitchen.Continued page 8

Extensive renovations haveturned a Victoria Avenue houseinto a stunning character homefor Palmerston North coupleTim and Pauline Cook.

About a year ago, after owning thehouse for four years, they decided tocreate an indoor/outdoor living area.

The step-down kitchen washexagonal-shaped, and jutted into thebackyard.

‘‘To get to the barbecue area, youhad to carry food out of the back door,around the kitchen, and past thelaundry. It just wasn’t convenient,’’Pauline says.

The only way to achieve the indoor/outdoor flow they wanted was torelocate the kitchen and laundry, andrebuild the part of the house they hadoccupied.

‘‘We wanted to move the kitcheninto the family/dining room, but wedidn’t know what [the result] wasgoing to look like,’’ Pauline says.

She needn’t have worried. ‘‘Theresult has been fantastic, and hasmade the kitchen a more central partof the house.’’

The existing dining room had asmall office off it. This was converted

into a laundry, but one in whicheverything is kept out of sight.

The washing machine is behindcupboard doors, and there is a hugedouble cupboard that houses a fold-down ironing station and all Pauline’slarge kitchen appliances.

‘‘The laundry had to look as thoughit was part of the kitchen. I wantedpeople to be able to walk through theback door and see a really tidy space.’’

The kitchen and laundry were madeby Mastercraft Kitchens by Healey, andthe whole project took around fiveweeks.

‘‘The bulk of the work was in gettingthe new kitchen prepared. Theinstallation of the kitchen and laundryonly took about a week.’’

Pauline says the disruption wasminimal.

‘‘I still had the old kitchen to workin, so I was one of the lucky ones.’’

The new kitchen was created fromthe existing family/dining room. A gasheater had to be removed, and wasfound to be hiding a major surprise.Behind it was a fireplace and chimneythat also had to go. A window seatwas also taken out.

Once the old kitchen was removed

and the area extended, a new family/dining area opening to a large deckwas created.

While the new kitchen was beingbuilt, one of the main jobs was to shiftthe doors that opened into the lounge– to provide the maximum space forthe kitchen appliances. But even afterthe doorway was shifted, there stillwasn’t enough room for a doublefridge.

‘‘So the first thing I had to do wasfind a fridge that would fit. Then weworked from there.’’

Pauline admits the planning of thekitchen took a lot of time.

‘‘I looked in a lot of books andmagazines for ideas. I think you haveto do that.’’

She also worked closely withdesigner Sue Healey.

Pauline says she had some definiteideas and also some specialrequirements.

‘‘Because I have had back surgery, Ineed to have as little bending [to do]as possible.’’


2197062AA

Grateful acknowledgementto Tim & Pauline Cook for the opportunity to carry out renovations and additions

Thanks to my sub-contractors for bringing this challenging work to an acceptable standard/conclusion

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FEATURE HOME

Inviting: The ideal place to enjoy a spot of television viewing.

Dining in style: After the removal of the old kitchen, a new family/dining room was created. This leads to an outdoor area.

Continued from page 7

Continued page 9

Character enhancedThis meant putting in dish drawersthat were side by side, rather than oneon top of the other.

Pauline says that, although thiswasn’t impossible to do, it wasn’tstraightforward. But fortunately, Suewas cleverly able to juggle things andmake them fit.

Pauline wanted a black and timberkitchen – until Sue pointed out that

black cabinetry tends to mark.Eventually, Pauline settled for

pantries made from wenge, a darktropical wood, with reverse panellingon the side of the pantries and on thecentral island. In this way, she got thedark look she wanted.

Sue helped her to choose a colourthat contrasted with the dark wenge,along with granite to complementthem both.

‘‘I had to be a bit traditional, as this

is a character house. We needed to bea bit more conservative, but I stillwanted the kitchen to have a wowfactor.’’

Pauline says Sue spent a lot of timegetting the measurements right.

‘‘She was very thorough, and had agood idea of what I wanted. She wasable to interpret my ideas.’’

Cosy corner: The original family/dining area. The gas heater was removed, revealing afireplace and chimney that also had to go.


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FEATURE HOME

Continued from page 8

Room to work: This home office was off the dining room, and Out of sight: In the new laundry, the large cupboard houses Indoor outdoor: The perfect place for entertaining or family living.

Left: Transformation: The stylishnew kitchen, featuring dark woodand gleaming granite.

Below: Compact kitchen: Theoriginal kitchen, which jutted intothe backyard.

‘‘I got everything on my wishlist. Iwanted two ovens and a food pantryas well as a crockery pantry. I wanteda place for a TV, and I wanted a built-in wine rack and an oil/spicecupboard.’’

Being able to view the kitchen plansin 3D, and to actually see the footprintof the kitchen space, was a definiteadvantage, Pauline says.

‘‘There were no surprises at all.Never once did we say, ‘We didn’texpect it to look like that’.’’

When the building work started, thereal challenges emerged.

‘‘This is an old house, so it’s crooked.The walls, the floor and the roof aren’tsquare. But the installers managed toget it looking perfectly level.

‘‘Healeys were incredibly thorough;and if the installers had a problem,they would be straight around to sortit out.’’

Although there isn’t a huge amountof bench space, the central island addsa whole new dimension.

‘‘It has its own hotpoints, so can beused for prepping or serving meals,and is also just right for guests to sitaround with a drink while I’m cooking.

‘‘Tim said he [only wanted it to be]wide enough for him to sit at in the

morning and read the newspaperwhile he has a cup of tea, and not tobe in the way.’’

But more importantly, Pauline says,the kitchen works really well evenwhen she’s cooking for 12 or 14people.

Pauline says that, whenundertaking a project of this size, it’simportant to know exactly what youwant and to convey that to thedesigner.

‘‘If someone is disappointed in theresult, that’s because they haven’tthought about it enough. You have todo your homework. The designer canonly interpret your ideas.’’


GARDEN

Wonders of Cherry WoodAfter a hard introduction to spring this year, Taranaki gardens are on the road to recovery

for the upcoming festival, Helen Mays discovers.

Icing on the cake: A camellia’s tiered-cake treatment enthrals visitors. At home: Rudi Milesi is in his element as he opens his beautiful Pateagarden to the public.

Leading the way: Even the back of the house, where ponga logshave been used to create a tunnel, has received a makeover.

Tall and trim: The yewtree at Chriese Waldwas licked into shapeby Rudi Milesi before itcould take over hisPatea corner section.

When Rudi Milesi bought hisquarter-acre Patea pavlovaparadise 30 years ago,everyone warned him ofthe salt winds and

ironsand soils.So no one was surprised when the

first thing he planted was a torturedwillow – a fast-growing tree thatoffered to wear the pain of strong seawinds and salt spray

‘‘My arborist is a life-saver,’’ Rudisays. ‘‘He helps to keep the torturedwillow in check, pruning it each yearso it doesn’t take over.’’

The psychotic limbs of the torturedwillow have helped protect the 23cherry trees that Rudi subsequentlyplanted – trees that now bring springto Hadfield Street.

The early bloomers have alreadydone their dash, scattering pink petalsall over the lawn.

The more cautious of the cherrytrees – the shy late bloomers – areholding back, and Rudi is hoping theirpink blush will coincide with theopening of the Taranaki Rhodo-dendron and Garden Festival onOctober 30.

Rudi calls his garden Chriesi Wald,which is Swiss for ‘‘Cherry Wood’’. Rudiis Swiss, a slight man with a joyfulpersonality and a passion for makingthings grow.

My gentle garden host isintroducing his still-closed buds,grasping them a little impatiently andpeeling back their green sheaths toreassure me that the golden yellowand violet-purple irises are waiting inthere.

This preview of the TaranakiRhododendron and Garden Festivalgardens comes after some badweather, and everywhere there arefrost-burnt blooms and batteredblossoms. At every garden I visit, theowners say the same thing, ‘‘It’s notlooking it’s best, but should be justright for the festival opening.’’

In Rudi’s little corner of the world,clematis is high-tailing it up theboundary trees, throwing a sash ofpink and white towards the road. Ithas survived the brutal windsunscathed.

Rudi has topiaried a pink camellia

beside his summer house. It now lookslike a wedding cake, or an extravaganthat suitable for the races.

The frost has knocked the camelliasbadly. Only the rhododendrons cansave the day, he says. And they arepromising to do just that.

All the trees have had their lowerbranches pruned – ‘‘standarded’’ – sopretty foliage can be planted beneaththem.

‘‘That’s what makes the propertylook so much bigger than it is,’’ Rudisays, waving his pink rubber gloves atthe highly textured plantings beneaththe cherry trees. ‘‘It’s the six layers I’ve

created, the depth beneath the trees,then the trees themselves.’’

There are 12 different ‘‘rooms’’ atChriesi Wald, each with its own littlebit of whimsy to make you smile.

A lot of crazy paving, low rock wallsand ponds have been created – hardlandscaping to both contain thegarden and provide the structuralborders for flowers to overflow.

Even the back of the house hasbeen made into a special place, with atunnel of pongas for vines to grow onand clivia to nest beneath.

There’s scarcely an untended placeon the section. But nothing is

overworked – just quietly part of a richtapestry.

This fluffy pink Cherry Wood is notjust a dessert, it’s a complete buffet.Lilac and pink rhododendrons arealready demanding attention,competing with big showpieces like thetopiaried yew tree at Rudi’s front door.

‘‘I saw the size these yew trees canget to when I went to England, and Ithought to myself, ‘I’ve got to dosomething about that tree before itgets out of hand’.’’

A few haircuts later, Mr Yew islooking seriously chastised and readyfor Christmas all year round.

Festival tobe anotherstunnerA windy spring has done itsworst, but has failed to thwartthe Taranaki Rhododendron andGarden Festival from October 30to November 8.

Taranaki is ready to receive itsannual influx visitors, and will bepulling out all the stops to maketheir stay in the province amemorable one.

The internationally recognisedfestival, which is now in its 22ndyear, features more than 50gardens, including the SpecialInterest Gardens in this year’snew boutique category.

There are 14 gardens ofsignificance, one of which is ofinternational significance.

The festival also includes aninnovative Landscape DesignProject, talks and workshops inthe Garden Speaker Series, and aseries of Jazz & Wine in Gardensevents.

From Patea, right around MtTaranaki to Opunake and Manaia,the Taranaki Rhododendron andGarden Festival promises to sendyou home with lots of new ideasfor your own garden.

For more information, visitrhodo.co.nz or [email protected].


2198914AA

Not just kitchens! See us for wardrobes,

laundries, garage – all your storage

solutions!Come see us today

47 Railway RoadPalmerston NorthPh 06 3569397

Peter Detmarm 027 615 8815 p 06 359 1814

e [email protected] | www.greenearthnz.com

2182

543A

A

Moss will keep coming back if the underlying problems are not fixed See

www.onlinetips.org/lawn-moss/control

Aerate and drain lawns without digging

Improve Microbial life

Decompact soil & clay

Allow water & nutrients to penetrate compacted soil & clay

Oxygenate the root zone

Good medicine for waterlogged& moss covered lawns

GARDEN

Time to roll up sleevesThe pace is picking upin the garden, AlbertBodell writes.

Climbing colour:Clematis make adramatic show.

Pretty in pink: Gladioli. Tomato time: Plant out now. Broad beans: Spray to protect.

In the flower garden it is a goodtime to plant out climbers,including the hybrid clematis thatis in stores now.Start to prune spring-flowering

shrubs, such as hebes, as floweringfinishes.

Use Shield or Gild spray to controlthrips on gladioli. As they die down,bulbs that are overcrowded should belifted, divided and replanted or stored.

Plant out the gladioli at regularintervals for a succession of flowers.

Periodically spray roses, using Gildor Shield, to control (not eliminate)fungus and insect pests. Don’t forgetto feed roses at leaf break, at firstflowering, and again at autumnflowering.

Weed control is crucial this month, ifyou don’t want your beds to beoverrun. Spray with Roundup, thenhoe around the plants and applymulches.

Remove spent flowers to prolongspring flowering. Break up old roots ofdahlias, which will be coming intogrowth, and replant them.

Build up your compost heap withthe debris from the winter garden.

The orchardThin stone fruit to ensure theremaining fruit grows bigger. If too

many fruits are left to develop on thetree, they will all be much smaller.

Most stone fruit has finishedflowering, and will need regular spraysof fungicide to help the fruit todevelop.

This is a good time to mulch withstraw around strawberries.

Protect berry fruit from dry berry atblossoming with a spray of Guardall.

Plant new citrus trees and feedexisting citrus and subtropical trees.Start to harvest citrus as it ripens onthe trees. Tangelos may need a little

longer. Apple and pears are cominginto full bloom, so start to spray themwith Malathion to control codlingmoth.

Grapes should be making goodprogress. As flowering starts thismonth, spray with Bravo to preventmildew on the vines.

Prune passion fruit to encouragenew growth, which will carry the fruit.

The vegetable plotSeedlings are susceptible to downymildew at this time of year.

The symptoms of this disease includeleaf yellowing and poor growth.Spray with Guardall to prevent it.

Fortnightly planting of saladvegetables will provide you with asuccession of crops for harvesting.

Plant out tomatoes and sow beans,beetroot, brussel sprouts, cabbages,capsicums, carrots, celery, Chinesecabbages, cress, cucumbers,eggplants, leeks, lettuces, marrows,melons, mustard, spring onions,parsnips, pumpkins, radishes, rhubarb,silver beet and squash.

Mound up potatoes.As Labour Day approaches, the

preparation of new planting areas isimportant. Dig deep and incorporategenerous quantities of compost. Useslug bait around seedlings.

Broadbeans should be sprayed withBravo to prevent chocolate spot orrust. Start green beans in potsindoors, to improve germination andget an earlier crop.

The greenhouseDivide ferns, and replant them. Potbegonias and gloxinias as they grow.This is also a good time to repot root-tight house plants in fresh pottingmix.

Continue to tie tomatoes, andremove side shoots.

Pinch the tips of cucumbers,marrows, melons and pumpkins,leaving six good leaves. Avoidovercrowding, to maintain airmovement around the plants.

Make up fresh hanging baskets forsummer decoration.

GeneralLawns will benefit from a spray ofTurfix, to control broadleaf weeds, andan application of a lawn fertiliser.

Weed control is of primeimportance this month. Continue toremove spent flowers to prolongflowering.

■ To contact Albert Bodell, GardenServices, phone 353 7540 or 021 02513290.


42 Bennett Street, Palmerston NorthP: 06 355 4646 F: 06 355 4650 E: [email protected]

www.kitchensbyhealey.co.nz2022475AA

RewardingRenovationsAlthough designing a kitchen renovation can be

more challenging than designing a kitchen for a new home, it can also be extremely rewarding,

says Peter Healey, of Mastercraft Kitchens by Healey.Totally transforming an existing home through the

installation of a new kitchen is what makes the job most satisfying, Peter says.

This is especially so in the case of character homes.``We can really transform an old character home, and

for me, personally, that is immensely satisfying.`Ìt’s creating that wow factor.’’Peter and his team have been designing and building

kitchens for the past six and a half years, and are passionate about what they do.

Robert Gale, who studied interior design in England, heads the design team of four.

The process begins with a designer visiting the client’s existing kitchen.

Measurements are taken and many factors are noted, such as the positions of doors and windows. The roof line is checked for ducting for a range hood, and to see how the kitchen relates to the rest of the house.

Another point to note is whether the floor is timber or concrete. If the floor is concrete, it adds to the plumbing costs if, for example, the client wants to move the sink.

Where the sun comes into a kitchen also needs to be noted, as a stainless-steel or highly polished surface can’t be placed where the sun would hit it and cause glare.

The temperature of the room is also a factor. A hot room needs to be decorated in cool colours, and a cold

room needs warm colours.``Dark wooden panelling is no good for a cold room,’’

Peter says.Another important point to note is the position of the

kitchen in relation to the rest of the house.Does the kitchen open on to a formal dining room, or

is it part of an open plan? In either case, it needs to be easily accessed from outside.

``You don’t want to have to walk through the lounge carrying the groceries to get to the kitchen.

``The style of the house and furniture also has to be taken into account, as that infl uences the style of the kitchen.’’

When all these factors have been noted, the designer will then obtain the client’s wish list.

Plans are drawn up, further consultations are held and any changes the client wants are incorporated.

Peter says designing a new kitchen is not a quick process. And he adds that it shouldn’t be, because it is a big investment.

``We have to make sure the investment is on the right scale.

``You wouldn’t want to put a $50,000 kitchen in a $120,000 house. But at the other end of the scale, you wouldn’t want to under-capitalise.

``We look at how long the owners are intending to stay in the house, or whether they are planning to sell. That can infl uence the amount of money spent.’’

In the current economic climate, many homeowners are taking advantage of lower interest rates and remortgaging or borrowing money to renovate their homes, rather than

move, Peter says.But often the catalyst for a kitchen renovation, in

Peter’s experience, is appliance failure.`Ìf the old free-standing stove has given up the ghost,

a lot of people want to replace it with an eye-level oven. And this can instigate [a move to get] a new kitchen.’’

Another common reason for renovating arises when people buy a house with a kitchen that doesn’t meet their needs. The new owners often want a kitchen installed before they move in.

However, Peter believes the new owners should live in the house for at least four weeks, to get the feel of the working space, before they redesign the kitchen.

Kitchens by Healey offers complete project management of the entire renovation.

`Ìf a wall needs to be removed to create an open-plan area, or a ceiling or floor needs to be repaired once a wall has gone, we can organise all the subcontractors required. We can even organise someone to do the decorating,’’ Peter says.

An essential part of this process is working within the set budget.

``We like to look at the overall budget and include the cost of the plumber, the electrician, flooring, tiles, splashbacks and lights, not just the cost of the cabinetry and appliances. But that all comes back to project managament and looking at the whole picture, and that is just what we do.

`Ìt’s a very stressful time, so we like to made the whole process as painless as possible.’’

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