Rooftop battles with Mother Nature

Minor shingle repairs can be done with ease and care

Despite having undertaken many a varied building task throughout the years, an interest in roofing has eluded me. Although the process is easy enough to understand, it’s a job, in my opinion, best left to the roofing professionals. I have . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

Gardening for the Prairies

Aubin Nurseries' owner shares three generations of knowledge

Planning to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in your backyard? Take some time to admire the trees, shrubs and perennials growing in your garden. Chances are, many of the ornamental plants in your landscape and neighbourhood come from nursery stock grown . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

Exterior repairs the way to solve moisture

Question: I purchased a house a year and a half ago and discovered a large section of one wall of my poured concrete foundation (behind the furnace) where the paint and cement are deteriorating. I’m certain moisture is coming through . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

The eco-friendly way to banish motor-oil stains

Question: In a non-toxic way, how can I clean off motor oil from a large truck on my driveway? Thank you very much, Barbara   Answer: Here are a few examples, some of them are toxic and some are non-toxic. The fresher the . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

Loose fibres likely culprit for peeling deck boards

Question: I had my back deck painted with DeckOver last spring. A year later, the coating is peeling off in a few places, exposing bare wood. What to do?   Answer: Behr, the manufacturer of DeckOver, describes this coating as a stain, but . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

Tips for saving some green when building a garden

I once had a friend whose garden stole his wallet and took over his life. Inspired by the great gardens he’d seen in England, he built a reflecting pool surrounded by brick-walled garden rooms. Soon the pool was dotted with . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

The trouble with spruce

Popular landscape tree requires careful attention to help prevent disease and infestation

I have written a few times about the problems plaguing Colorado blue spruce and the native Manitoba white spruce that have been planted over the years on urban and rural properties in southern Manitoba. Each year I continue to get numerous . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

Eighty years of building Manitoba's communities

Tomorrow Canadians from coast to coast will be celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday! Canada Day celebrations will focus on our nation’s history and celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of those who have helped build our great country over the past century . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

Just keep right on marching, Canada

My favourite part of the country's birthday might be the parades

HAPPY CANADA DAY! And since everybody loves a parade — there’ll certainly be a few this weekend — I’ll take you back to my hometown of Killarney and a look at a parade from long ago. Wow, what a different time that . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

Home is where the art is

When George Dant decided to downsize, he didn’t go far from home. He moved from the upper two floors of his Washington, D.C., rowhouse to the basement. But when you descend the four steps into his lower-level abode, you don’t feel . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30