GARDENING: And the winners are...

Exciting award-winning blooms for your 2014 garden

Before a plant receives a gardener's stamp of approval, it must meet rigorous standards. Plant survival is uppermost and from a prairie gardener's perspective, that can mean withstanding record-setting low temperatures in winter or lengthy periods of unrelenting drought in . . .

Posted: 2014-01-25

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Cottage foundation concerns pose dilemma

QUESTION: I was reading an article about the proper foundation for Manitoba soil on the Internet and was directed to your site through the article. I have a small property in Matlock, close to Winnipeg Beach. We have spent the . . .

Posted: 2010-05-08

Smart planting

Make the most of your garden’s conditions

A garden may look effortlessly beautiful, but as with other facets of life, beauty is often shaped and cultivated. No matter the size of the space you manage — whether it’s a large landscape or a postage-size patch — effort . . .

Posted: 2026-05-30

Wallpaper is back in style

Stylish prints have replaced the drab florals of the 1980s

Wallpaper is ready for its next act. The polarizing paint alternative and longtime decorating taboo has returned to fashion thanks to ultra-stylish prints, dimensional fabrics and new materials that make it easy to install and, yes, to remove. Offering more . . .

Posted: 2017-03-04

Drain cleaning likely cure for offensive odour

I have a question about a sewer and drain smell issue. I have a front-loading washing machine in the basement that drains into the sewer with a trap. It’s about 10 feet from the stack that goes to the roof. . . .

Posted: 2016-03-05

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Tankless water heater turns showers cold

QUESTION: When building our new cabin, which is off the grid, we tried to be as environmental as possible. We have a propane tank which runs our fridge, stove and a Bosch tankless water heater. The water comes from a . . .

Posted: 2010-10-30

Not all wood is created equal for burning

Many of today's home renovations include a high-efficiency wood-burning fireplace or stove. One of the most common questions asked by owners of these new appliances is "What's the best wood to burn?" The short answer is seasoned wood containing 15 per cent . . .

Posted: 2014-10-04

Metamorphosis

Renovation transforms home to feel contemporary

The moment you step inside 14 Blossom Bay, you feel like you’ve walked into a home that feels contemporary, if not new. That wasn’t the case when its outgoing owner — interior designer/artist Mary-Anne Rudy — purchased the Charleswood-area home a . . .

Posted: 2017-06-03

Remodelled home shines in a spectacular new light

Designers transform living space

For the longest time, 122 Shamrock Dr. sat for sale on an oversized riverfront lot in Southdale, shrouded in the shadow created by an overabundance of mature trees. The interior of the Tudor-style, 3, 000-sq.-ft. home — which was built in . . .

Posted: 2018-06-16

It's all clear

Choosing new windows for your home

It can be difficult to decide on the best choice of window for a new or retrofitted house because window technology has become very sophisticated in the last 20 or so years. Back in the day, most windows were constructed of . . .

Posted: 2013-02-02