Rooms: Fire Warms a Pergola-Covered Pennsylvania Patio

“There was an awful acrylic hot tub here along with a big retaining wall, and that was about it,” states Robert Nonemaker, landscape designer and proprietor of The Outerspaces Group. To make better use of the space for this family of four, he created a new terrace that extends their living area outside. Thanks to some brand new exterior fireplace, they now have a living area and dining area that they can use until the temperatures dip below freezing. Local materials such as bluestone in the nearby Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, also mica and wood milled by the Amish assist the terrace meld with its surroundings.

Fireplace in a Glance
Location: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (at Philadelphia’s Main Line region)
Size: Around 14 feet by 16 feet (region covered by pergola)

The Outerspaces Group

Bryn Mawr is very dense with home, and yards are tight, so making the most of one’s yard is overriding. The new bluestone terrace is situated just off the kitchen, along with the retaining wall on the left was present. Cushy outdoor furniture from Restoration Hardware makes it a very comfortable couch space.

The Outerspaces Group

Nonemaker matched the brand new fireplace’s stone into the existing retaining wall, with native Pennsylvania mica, a rock with a mixture of grays, tans and silver flecks.

The thermal bluestone hearth extends to create built-in seating, with room for logs underneath.

The Outerspaces Group

The mantel matches the pergola over the outside living room, made from hemlock in the Amish sawmill, treated to ward off germs. “We are lucky; you’re not likely to get this sort of timber at Home Depot,” Nonemaker states.

Due to a scarcity of deer in the region, they managed to plant hostas, climbing hydrangeas, ferns and other plants that thrive in the patio’s shade. The family uses the space the most in autumn, with the fireplace keeping them warm in the crisp air.

Your turn: We are on the hunt for cozy three-season patios. Please discuss a photograph in the Remarks below!

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12 Items Worth a Spot on Your Kitchen Counter

In particular areas of my house, clutter just shows up from the blue. The kitchen countertop is a dumping ground for random, misplaced objects left by children and a husband. On any given day I find junk mail, empty grocery bags, the ubiquitous pristine glass of milk and spare change.

I enjoy my countertops lean, so I take responsibility for clearing them every night. As a part of my nightly ritual, I clean that the countertops, wipe them clean replicate all the items for the next moment. I enjoy a combination of practical items and pretty things out on my own countertops, but I am quite picky about my selections. It is a working area, after all, so work comes first. Here are some ideas for countertop styling that looks great and is practical, too.

Chango & Co..

Kitchen scale. That is a useful kitchen tool, especially for people who track portion sizes. A scale can also be useful for baking and weight conversions. Scales can be found by you online in every colour of the rainbow and versions.

Shannon Malone

Fruit bowl. I maintain a bowl on my counter filled with fresh, seasonal fruit to encourage wholesome snacking.

Silverware caddy. We utilize a silverware caddy for three square meals per day and just leave it to the counter. It makes sense on a countertop near dishwasher or the table.

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

Condiment canisters. You can put canisters for wheat and sugar, plus salt and pepper shakers, directly in addition to the counter. These canisters can be glass, tin or ceramic. The styling details are endless, but I propose airtight versions to keep out pests.

Wilsonart

Mixer. I know an appliance garage is a useful thing, but I honestly like seeing pellets. I really like the colour and the technology of a mixer. We use ours all the time, so that it creates a counter spot in our house. Try out a baking corner using a mixer, measuring cups and a rolling pin.

Dresser Homes

Cookbook stand alone. The book stand is one of my preferred countertop accessories. Use it for a hard-copy cookbook or an iPad using a recipe app. The very best book stand is heavy enough to support even a large book. Consider a cast iron one with felt pads at the bottom to prevent scratching.

See how to make your own book stand

CR Home Design K&B (Construction Resources)

Oversize bowls. Here is an idea certain to appeal to some but not others. Oversize bowls can occasionally be difficult to shop, especially with standard-depth upper cupboards at 13 inches. I use oversize bowls a lot for pasta and salad. Find the best-looking and thickest one you could and leave it to the counter.

Marianne Simon Design

Herb plant. I like to maintain rosemary on my kitchen counter for the odor and standard softness it attracts to the hard surfaces in my kitchen. Obviously, I snip a bit here and there for cooking. Find a sunny spot on your counter and warm water your plant once a week. Other herbs to try growing are mint and basil.

Watch guides to growing herbs

Andre Rothblatt Architecture

Utensils and components. I actually enjoy a container for tall utensils directly next to my cooker. I use a slotted spoon just about every single time I cook, so why not have it at the ready? And I think it’s nice and intriguing to keep oils and salt and pepper directly within arm’s reach.

Andre Rothblatt Architecture

Coffeemaker. Another energy appliance in many houses, the coffeemaker does not need to be hidden away. Those who drink coffee daily ought to consider a coffee section for their counter.

Blender. Another kitchen tool available in any colour, a blender is useful for mixing soups, juices and smoothies. My favorite is that the Vitamix Professional Series 750.

Charmean Neithart Interiors

Toaster. My family enjoys toast. I bought the biggest toaster I could find, and there still is a line at breakfast time. The toaster definitely gets a spot on the counter in my kitchen. Keep yours alongside a bread drawer or bin for a complete toasting section.

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Roots of Style: Midcentury Designs Respond to Modern Life

While the architectural profession created several distinctive styles of residential design before World War II, it wasn’t till the mid-20th century which Americans embraced new lifestyles that caused a completely new architectural style. The war resulted in a housing shortage in the U.S., and Europe needed to rebuild. Europeans preferred to revive their historical past, while many gifted modernist architects moved from Europe to America (others had left prior to the war) and found an eager audience.

Regardless of the popularity and importance of contemporary design, mid-20th-century home building still contained a variety of fashions, though their form and nature evolved according to changing lifestyles and building practices. Colonial revival, Spanish diverse and several other designs were developed during this period.

These styles were more specifically influenced by contemporary design theory and new ideas for how contemporary families wanted to reside.

It’s important to note that, as always, elements of one style are often adapted to a different completely different fashion. Some designs may even be thought to have distinct tastes nevertheless remain a different single class — as is the case with minimalist conventional homes and split levels.

Chioco Design

Minimalist Traditional

These initial three homes resemble their predecessors largely in a couple of information or in shape, but are less specific in their articulation. Though this first house was constructed in the 1930s, it could easily be compared to a lot of vernacular examples throughout the country. Notice the double-hung windows, characteristic of colonial revival nevertheless lacking muntins (which split the window panes to smaller segments). Additionally, it has a lesser side-gabled roof pitch, but there’s a steeper forward-facing gable having an extension comprising the entrance, a trait found in American Tudor houses.

CG&S Design-Build

A long front porch and flanking gables, and a side-gabled principal body with dormered roof vents, give this house its own character. The windows are the double-hung type, as in the previous case. Clapboard siding and minimal trim are attributes common to dozens of homes constructed during the mid-20th century.

AHMANN LLC

This two-story version feels darkened, particularly because of the shutters, but the entrance is not classically detailed, and the elevation is slightly asymmetrical. Its kind has a shed roof wrap the second degree to cover the entrance porch and part of a room, along with an extension of this single level into the right — characteristics which can be found on many suburban homes across the U.S.

Can You Live in a Minimalist Traditional Home?

Bud Dietrich, AIA

Ranch

possibly the most common of 20th-century U.S. regional fashions is the ranch. Similar to other fashions of the age, examples could be contemporary, traditional, Spanish or rustic. The style originated in California around 1930; architect William Wurster is credited with producing a lot of its influence.

Most fascinating about the style is that it’s a synthesis of Spanish colonial, Craftsman and Prairie architectures incorporating a semirural lifestyle determined by the automobile. Its mid-20th-century proliferation coincided with the growth of the suburbs all across the U.S., when property was cheap as well as an expanding highway system created commuting a new method of life.

Emblematic of this style, this house rests peacefully on a wide, green lawn. Ordinarily, a long rectangular strategy is centered on a large square parcel with the extensive side facing the road, leaving a spacious front yard and backyard. Roofs may be gabled, like this one, or hipped, or even a mix of the two, in which a gable sits atop a hip.

Kaufman Homes, Inc..

This hipped version echoes the Prairie type with wide eaves and a huge, masonry chimney. Notice the half-height stone-veneer walls with wood siding above, further exaggerating the flat lines of this style.

Robinette Architects, Inc..

Important to the style is also a covered terrace on the rear elevation, as seen in this case. This was an obvious contrast to the Prairie and Craftsman homes, which frequently had generous porches facing the road. This terrace is much like the private-facing porches or loggias of Spanish colonial architecture.

The proliferation of air conditioning and swimming pools, in addition to the importance of a personal, fenced backyard, eliminated the taste for front porch.

Merrick Design and Build Inc..

Split Level

Although this style is more correctly a class and may be implemented in a number of fashions, it’s presented separately because of its kind, and its significance, for the numbers of regional variations which exist.

As suburban development quickly spread after World War II, builders adapted to rolling bucolic settings by putting garages, or less formal spaces, at lower elevations over the landscape. Putting another floor only a couple of feet higher and adjacent to the reduced degree produced a sensible transition from support regions to formal living spaces. Bedrooms and bathrooms frequently are placed on another level above the bottom, establishing a gentler connection between the public and private spaces of the house.

In this remodeled minimalist conventional split degree, a prominent entrance porch has been added to set up a more substantial experience for the visitor. Notice the crossing gabled roof types. Frequently in the split-level mode, the greater degree has a front-facing gable, while the lower part runs from side to side. This further enhances the branch of amounts.

WORKSHOP8 architecture planning design

This Denver split-level house has been converted into a contemporary and chic abode. Notice the single-car garage on the primary level, a variation of the previous case, though the first roof formation is nearly identical. Also smart is the stepped landscape, relating well to the subject of this split level.

KUBE architecture

This remodeled contemporary split in Virginia exemplifies the chance for vaulted ceilings on the primary level. This theme is frequently in California suburbs on contemporary and Mediterranean-style houses, in which you enter a foyer, locate a living room to a side and locate a center stairway ascending, with the vaulted ceiling into the top level.

Keycon, Inc

California Contemporary/Midcentury Modern

This style developed chiefly out of this Case Study House program started in 1945 in Southern California, also out of mid-20th-century improvements built by Joseph Eichler. Case Study architects embraced the contemporary motion, in which precedents were eschewed in favor of minimalism and efficacy, akin to International style.

Eichler employed several architectural firms to design wood post and beam structures which allowed the placement of large expanses of doors that were adjoining, open floor plans and seamless relationships with the outside. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Alexander Construction Company filled Palm Springs with hot and distinctive modern-style holiday homes that established a flourishing and fashionable desert oasis.

Although there were many different roof forms used in contemporary styles, this house indicates the common very low-sloped gable edition. Notice the mixture of substances: vertical groove wood siding, wood posts and beams, linear expanses of concrete and glass block walls (stacked), assimilated at a Mondrian-like composition.

Gary Hutton Design

Indicative of this style is structural transparency, as may be seen in this Eichler-built house. Exposed rafters encourage a gabled roof, where the tongue and groove roof decking becomes a key architectural element in the expression of its style. Further, beams supporting the flat roof portion extend from inside to out, detailed here with clerestory windows placed between them.

See more of this revived Eichler about the water

Bernard Andre Photography

Higher-style examples of this period involved expressive structures, as evidenced by this Rancho Mirage, California, home constructed in 1960. The open and free-flowing spaces of those houses symbolized the ambitious and progressive values synonymous with cultural changes as well as the prosperity of the times.

A fascinating side note to midcentury modern architecture is that Palm Springs hosts an annual modernism week every year in February that attracts fans from around the world. The week includes parties, displays, tours and lectures of important modern homes.

Malcolm Davis Architecture

Contemporary Fall

Sea Ranch, California, is the birthplace of shed-style dwellings. In the mid-1960s the MLTW partnership, which comprised noticed architects Charles Moore and William Turnbull, Jr., made a series of condominiums and homes for an isolated Northern California coastal development.

Responding to a regional aesthetic of big wooden barns with wood-shingled roofs, the architects cleverly borrowed native cues to mould their creations. The resulting architecture defined a particular type of contemporary design that departed from the rectilinear — and frequently cold — International fashion, offering a warmer and subtler contemporary theme.

This newer house in Sea Ranch follows all of the characteristics originally established. This style can be found across North America, largely in architect-designed custom houses constructed in the late 1960s through about the mid-1970s.

Liquid Design

The readily identifiable shed style is evident in this North Carolina house. The combination of several shed forms and other flat-roof portions is typical. Picture windows are placed to frame exterior views, and clerestories bring in daylight at vaulted ceilings.

Elliott + Elliott Architecture

This house illustrates the shed design’s suitability to a variety of settings and climates. Notice the shingled siding on this case, which nicely echoes the common materials of the region and differentiates the house from the California cousins.

What’s next: The consequences of conservation and market conditions. Trends in house design began to change around 1975, following the price of energy ballooned. The taste for contemporary architecture diminished, and more conventional styles began to dominate vernacular building. California embraced strict energy codes in 1978, which foreshadowed the taste or requirement of these codes for the remainder of the country.

Most house building for the last 30 years has produced some type of previously recognized style. It’s the exception that architects create an entirely new vocabulary for a client; they are more frequently limited by market conditions for most of their job, necessary to guarantee the achievement of the actual estate developers who employ them.

Notice that not many houses are actually designed by licensed architects. Most house builders follow an established native vernacular, which conforms to local building customs. Another important phenomenon is that now that there’s an enormous inventory of home that was constructed over the previous hundred years; remodeling existing structures comprises a considerable element of the home building market.

The recent enchantment with midcentury modernism has included another stylistic interpretation into a very long collection of fashions available to homeowners. Advances in technology and an increasing emphasis on sustainable design promise to invent still another specific architectural expression — and that definition has not yet been determined.

More:
Tracing the Deep Roots of Design
6 Inspiring Midcentury Australian Homes

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Designed for Dogs: 5 Wonderful Dog Parks Across the U.S.

It does not require a lot to make dogs happy — a complete belly, a hot bed, a lot of love and plenty of space for drama are all they require. For all those living in crowded towns, dog parks have become the remedy to this third condition.

“In rural areas where there are acres and acres of open woods and off-leash allowed, there are dog parks,” says Christian Lau, author of The Dog Lover’s Companion to New England. “Dog parks are a safe, generally tick-free place for puppies which are cheap to build and create a sense of community and safety in the region.”

Have a look at five amazing puppy parks and the best way to get one started in your region.

More: 8 Garden Ideas to Delight Your Dog

1. Fort Woof, Forth Worth, Texas

Fort Woof, inside Forth Worth’s Gateway Park, was the city’s first off-leash dog park. It has different fenced areas for smaller dogs and larger dogs, with appropriately sized training gear, ramps, hoops and tunnels.

It offers picnic tables, chairs and shade for individuals, and watering stations with buckets and hoses close trees in which pooped-out pups can break in the shade.

More information: Fort Woof

2. Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, Richmond, California

The Point Isabel park, in the edge of the San Francisco Bay, is blessed with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin County.

This inflatable playground includes 23 acres, and most of it’s available to off-leash dogs, which makes it one of the largest dog parks in the nation.

Aside from the beautiful views, Point Isabel includes two big draws for dogs and their owners. Mudpuppy’s Tub and Scrub, a dog washing machine and retail store, offers full-service and DIY dog baths, toys, treats and supplies for man’s companion. The Sit & Stay Café next door makes sure you receive all the treats you require, too.

More information: Point Isabel Regional Shoreline

3. Pilgrim Bark Park, Provincetown, Massachusetts

Though comparatively small for a dog park — 1 acre — Pilgrim Bark Park has plenty to keep your pup occupied. Much like Fort Woof, it’s divided into two segments for larger and smaller dogs. The off-leash park was designed to reflect the city’s appreciation for the arts. Local designers have designed and painted chairs, kiosks, signage and other attributes — such as this dog-friendly version of the pilgrims’ Mayflower.

More information: Pilgrim Bark Park

4. Bow Wow Beach, Stow, Ohio

Four acres of grassy knolls and forest are only a prelude to Bow Wow Beach’s most important attraction — a 3-acre lake, complete with sandy shores and a dog-dock leaping area. This dog park is a summertime staple in Stow, Ohio. But don’t worry, you won’t have to have a muddy dog house with you after every visit — dog washing areas round the park allow you to wash Fido up for your ride home.

More information: Bow Wow Beach

5. Freedom Bark Park, Lowell, Indiana

Ecofriendly dog park Freedom Bark Park includes 5 acres of landscape dedicated to off-leash dog drama. Solar-powered water pumps give your pet with water, recycled rubber mulch walkways lead owners throughout the park, and biodegradable bags assist with cleanup. The grassy regions separate big and tiny dogs — each has its own shaded area for dogs and owners, drinking water, tunnels, trees and a special digging area.

This award-winning dog park is the end result of 2,700 hours of service which local volunteers contributed to construct it, from the farmers who tilled the land to the teacher who painted that the fire hydrants. Every tree, plant, chairs and tube area also was donated by members.

More information: Freedom Bark Park

Thinking about starting a dog park in your hometown? Here’s how to make it happen.

Get support. Find a core set of people who are able to devote to the cause. Hold a public meeting and collect support. Encourage your neighbors and community members to write letters and make calls to town leaders.

Decide exactly what the park will comprise. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers’ list of what’s needed for a fantastic dog park comprises:Materials for cleaning up after dogsDrinking water and shadeEnough space to prevent crowdingSeparate regions for small and big dogsA two-gate system so dogs can’t escapeMore than 1 entry and exit — dogs quickly learn where newcomers enter, and congregate there.Agility gear, natural visual barriers and other interactive featuresProduce a funding. Once you obtain approval to get a dog park, odds are that you’ll need to boost the funds to construct and keep it. Produce a funding straight off the bat and set a goal for fundraising. Since town budgets may be tight, many dog parks are funded through private donors. See if your town has a nonprofit umbrella arrangement which you may work under which can expedite fundraising.

Find the land. Finding space in towns and cities tends to be the biggest hurdle for dog park activists. “Most cities and towns and the people there believe a dog park is a fantastic idea, and are willing to provide the land for it,” says Lau. “The problem is where to find this distance. Nobody needs it near their property, organization, sports or school field.” Since land is rare, many dog parks are added to an present park or become part of a larger plan to get a multipurpose park.

More: 8 Garden Ideas to Delight Your Dog

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Travel Guide: The Hague for Design Lovers

Home to His Royal Highness King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, and the official seat of government in the Netherlands, The Hague boasts majestic and illustrious architecture which reflects the city’s wealthy cultural and political heritage. A modern skyline dismisses a striking scene against a backdrop of centuries-old historical buildings which hug a popular North Sea surf spot.

For a town that has existed since the 13th century, The Hague has an array of museums that are overburdened. But while the typical tourist attractions are highly recommended — and showcased here this travel guide also attempts to encourage visitors to find the off-the-beaten-path spots. No matter what, the diverse architecture, modern art exhibitions and inspiring stores will amazement any design enthusiast.

Must-Sees

Binnenhof: A complex of buildings which make up the Dutch center of Parliament
Location: Binnenhof 8a, 2513 AA
Noteworthy: This-13th century courtyard boasts spectacular medieval brickwork and architraves.

The political leaders of the Netherlands make each of the most important decisions within the confines of the Binnenhof. The gothic Ridderzaal (Knight’s Hall) is employed for the state opening of Parliament each third Tuesday in September on Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day) — it’s on September 17 at 2013 — if the king has been escorted to Parliament in his golden carriage to deliver a speech from the throne.

Famous tours of the Binnenhof, Ridderzaal and the chambers of Parliament offer insightful insight to the Hague’s political history. Those seeking to get a fast retreat from the bustling roads should look for refuge in this silent square.

The Binnenhof is both the geographical and historical heart of the town, along with being home to the Dutch Parliament. This view from the Hofvijver pond at the city center looks toward the Parliament home and is a great example of The Hague’s old-meets-new aesthetic.

The stately light tan arrangement on the left is your Mauritshuis museum, in which the renowned painting”Girl with the Pearl Earring” by painter Johannes Vermeer is placed if it’s not on traveling exhibitions. Because of renovation work that the Mauritshuis is currently closed until mid-2014. Most of the Mauritshuis collection could be viewed at the Gemeentemuseum. The tower directly with the Mauritshuis has become the Dutch prime minister’s office as 1982.

More info: Mauritshuis

The Peace Prize: Home of the International Court of Justice, Permanent Court of Arbitration, Peace Palace Library and The Hague Academy of International Law
Price: 8,50 euros (about U.S.$11) to get a guided excursion
Location: Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ
Noteworthy: This year the Peace Palace celebrates its centennial.

Het Vredespaleis (The Peace Prize ) is The Hague’s most photographed landmark, and with just cause. The arrangement itself is as expansive as the thought that brought about its existence from the early 1900s, as it was built to foster world peace. Today the building is used for the identical function. A guided tour gives visitors a behind-the-scenes view at the goings-on of among the city’s most iconic and precious buildings.

More info: Vredespaleis

Noordeinde Palace: The functioning palace of the king
Location: Noordeinde 68, 762514 GL

Stroll across the elegant shopping street Noordeinde, and you can’t miss the neoclassical palace supporting expansive and gilded gates. Constructed in 1553 and inhabited by Dutch royals since the early 1600s, the palace is now the official working palace for King Willem-Alexander and his team. On Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day), visitors and residents can observe the royal procession of the gouden koets (gold knob ) since it carries the king from Noordeinde Palace to the Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights) from the Binnenhof, where he reads the”Speech from the Throne,” outlining the government’s fiscal plans for the next year. The procession then returns to the Noordeinde Palace, in which the royal family appears on the palace balcony to tackle an adoring public.

More info: Paleis Noordeinde

The Hague

Lange Vijverberg: Tree-lined pathway overlooking Parliament
Noteworthy: A romantic spot for strolling hand in hand with somebody special

With more than 988 acres (400 hectares) of woodland, The Hague prides itself on being Europe’s town. Wear comfortable walking shoes and indulge in the numerous tree-lined walkways while admiring the city’s historical structure. The Lange Vijverberg flanks that the Binnenhof and the stately Mauritshuis and can be a beautiful spot where you can respect 13th-century structures and feed the ducks at the Hofvijver pond.

Scheveningen Boulevard
Location: Scheveningen
Noteworthy: Stroll beside the ocean prior to grabbing a cocktail.

This recently refurbished boulevard that stretches across The Hague’s seaside town of Scheveningen is just another lovely spot for a quiet stroll.

One of the city’s most notable contemporary sculpture museums, Beelden aan Zee, commissioned a gorgeous collection of 23 sea-inspired sculptures by American sculptor Tom Otterness, who has designed similar public installations in New York.

Pictured here is your largest sculpture, at 12 meters tall. Called”The Herring Eater,” it draws on the Dutch heritage of celebrating the abundant herring season.

More info: Beelden aan Zee

Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel: Scheveningen’smost iconic architecture
Location: Gevers Deynootplein 30, 2586 CK
Noteworthy: Declared a national monument in 1975

Overlooking the North Sea is your expansive Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel, located in the former fisherman’s village of Scheveningen; it dates back almost 200 decades. It was initially a wooden bathing home, and the seawater-filled baths were said to have a curative impact. Just eight years after its 1818 launching, it had been replaced by a stone structure offering more amenities. Centuries and many renovations later, the expansive building still welcomes patrons from all around the world.

Blend a stroll along the boulevard with a cocktail at one of the many beach huts throughout summer.

More info: Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel

Must-Eats

Kurzaal Restaurant: Main restaurant at the hotel
Price: 25 to 37,50 euros (about U.S.$32 to $49) to get a supper
Location: Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel, Gevers Deynootplein 30, 2586 CK
Noteworthy: Classic meets modern cuisine

Do not simply admire the opulence of the iconic resort building from the exterior. Venture inside and gaze up at the frescoed ceiling, which was painted from the Brussels artist Van Hoeck at 1904. This historical backdrop is fulfilled with modern furnishings.

More info: Kurzaal Restaurant

Strijkijzer: Skyscraper nicknamed”Iron,” with the sexy new restaurant and bar The Penthouse
Location: Rijswijkseplein
Noteworthy: Its nickname stems out of the sleek, triangular shape

The newest restaurant, bar and nightclub at The Hague is located in a skyscraper that’s 433 feet (132 meters) high, called the”Strijkijzer” (“Iron”); it had been designed by architect Paul Bontenbal. The next tallest building in the city uttered the Hague New City Prize and international Emporis Skyscraper Award because of its elegant reinterpretation of classic high-rise architecture. The building draws its inspiration from New York’s Flatiron Building.

haagsetoren.nl

The Penthouse Restaurant and SkyBar has a sleek and luxurious interior that provides sweeping views of the city by the 42nd floor of the building.

From the mood to soak up the views in style? Every Sunday, The Penthouse hosts a Sunday Lazy Jazz Lunch, including live performances by local jazz musicians. The music starts at 2:30 p.m.

More info: The Penthouse

haagsetoren.nl

The view from The Penthouse Restaurant and SkyBar.

De Boterwaag: Bar, restaurant, cafe
Location: Grote Markt
Noteworthy: Try the trademark bestselling Boterwaag Salade having an ice-cold Dutch beer.

This converted grand café dates back to 1681. Archways stretching around a vaulted ceiling and unique brickwork are reminiscent of neighborhood 17th-century architecture. In reality, you can admire an original old weigh scale out of 1682 that’s displayed in the restaurant. Its being located on the buzzing Grote Markt square signifies there’s always something happening.

More info: De Boterwaag

Lola Bikes and Coffee
Location: Noordeinde 91, 2514 GD
Noteworthy: Best new café from the nation

From the Netherlands, java and bikes are just two of the most prominent cultural activities, and this fresh café and bike shop gets both appropriate. Lola Bikes and Coffee additionally hosts bike tours each Sunday at 8:30 a.m., taking adventurous customers on a Fatbike Experience through forests, beaches and deserts.

More info: Lola Bikes and Coffee

Must-Visits

Gemeentemuseum: Municipal museum
Price: 14,50 euros (about U.S.$19); 18 and under, free
Location: Stadhouderslaan 41, 2517 HV
Noteworthy: Houses the works of a few of the most prominent Dutch artists

If you are searching to soak up a few of the best modern art the nation has to offer, this is a fantastic place to get started. Produced by Dutch architect H.P. Berlage, referred to as the Dutch Frank Lloyd Wright, the low-set, sprawling 1930s brick architecture is built in art deco style.

More info: Gemeentemuseum

The museum holds an impressive collection of modern art by some of the world’s most renowned artists, including Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Egon Schiele, Wassily Kandinsky, Louise Bourgeois, Francis Bacon and much more.

Most importantly, the museum displays the world’s largest collection of paintings by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian in its permanent collection, including the artist’s famous”Victory Boogie Woogie” (displayed here). This piece was the abstract painter’s last, unfinished, work.

More info: Mondrian at Gemeentemuseum

Escher Museum: A palace-turned-museum for the works of graphic artist M.C. Escher
Price: 9 euros (about U.S.$12)
Location: Lange Voorhout 74, 2514 EH
Noteworthy: The palace chambers feature stunning chandeliers by artist Hans van Bentem

The former winter palace of Queen Mother Emma of the Netherlands houses the works of celebrated Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher within the confines of a beautifully maintained royal palace. Escher is most known for his geometric lithographs, woodcuts and wood engravings.

More info: Escher Museum

The Hague Sculptures: Sculpture exhibition
Location: Lange Voorhout
Noteworthy: The sculptures are swapped out yearly.

Here’s a second recommendation for strolling along the tree-lined boulevard of the Lange Voorhout. Summertime visitors are treated with an outside exhibition showing frequently enormous sculptural works by esteemed artists from around the world.

Must-Visit Shops

Antiques niches: Books, antiques and curiosities for sale under the trees
Location: Lange Voorhout
Noteworthy: More Than 70 stalls selling high quality antiques as well as affordable knickknacks.

Another way to enjoy this beautiful part of the town is to wander in and out of stalls at the antiques markets. The markets are on from mid-May until mid-September each Thursday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Holly Marder

Sketch: Exclusive shopping
Location: Denneweg 4, 2514 CG
Noteworthy: Concept store on one of the oldest roads at The Hague

Rich history and exclusive shopping go hand in hand across the Denneweg, in which the street’s oldest building dates back to 1390. High-fashion boutiques, specialty stores, restaurants and pubs with stately flats above them line the road.

The most striking is that the glass-fronted building belonging to the concept store Sketch, which dates back to 1898. Inside is exciting style, art, curios and more.

The Passage: Indoor shopping promenade
Location: Between Spuistraat, Hofweg and Buitenhof
Noteworthy: The last remaining covered shopping street in Holland

The Passage is a beautiful historical building in the city center dating back over 115 years which houses a collection of boutiques and specialty stores. It’s Holland’s sole remaining covered shopping street; these roads found popularity in major American and European cities in the next half of the 19th century.

The Passage exudes a charm and ambiance rarely found in modern shopping malls. Do some upmarket shopping at the glass-covered arcade, but take a moment to gaze up and respect the stately facade and rich detailing in this national monument.

More info: De Passage

Edwin Pelser

Edwin Pelser: Design shop
Location: Piet Heinstraat 123, 2518 CG
Noteworthy: Interiordesign hot spot

Having worked extensively in the field of design at two notable Dutch design schools — the Design Academy in Eindhoven and the Netherlands Architecture Institute in Rotterdam — Edwin Pelser opened an advanced design boutique on a charming shopping street in downtown. Fascinated by each kind of design, he intends to demonstrate that design is accessible for everybody.

More info: Edwin Pelser

Must-Stays

Resort Mozaic: Boutique hotel in the city center
Location: Laan Copes van Cattenburch 38-40, 2585 GB

Mozaic is a little boutique hotel housed in 2 renovated monumental buildings which date back to 1880. The suites and common regions of the hotel are tastefully finished in modern style.

More info: Resort Mozaic

Hilton The Hague

Hilton Hotel
Location: Zeestraat 35, 2518 AA
Noteworthy: Finest resort for service and location

The brand new Hilton is at a restored 1950s architecture that houses a distinctly modern collection of rooms. The striking Grand Café Pearl is a superb option for dining, with its own decor completely motivated by the famous”Girl with a Pearl Earring” painting.

More info: Hilton The Hague, Grand Café Pearl

Hidden Gems

F.A.S.T: Free Architecture Surf Terrain
Location: Strandweg 1A, 2586 JK, Scheveningen
Noteworthy: Hippest fresh surfers’ village, beach hostel, surf store, surfing lessons, bar and restaurant, art jobs, parties and museum

The Hague gets the best surf in the nation. Avid surfers or people looking to get into the city’s surf culture could head to F.A.S.T., the Free Architecture Surf Terrain, a cool new surf village which emerged as a response to silent building jobs and vacant land in the Scheveningen area due to the economic downturn. The camping site costs 15 euros (about U.S.$20) per person per night, and the hostel will set you back 20 euros (about U.S.$26). The village consists of various shipping containers to create a recycled aesthetic, and there is an open-air theater.

More info: F.A.S.T.

Palace Garden: A green oasis in town
Location: Behind Noordeinde Palace
Noteworthy: Public garden belonging to the functioning palace of the king

This almost-hidden 17th-century Palace Garden supporting the Noordeinde Palace is a charming public garden appreciated by locals. The park has a pond, walking paths, benches and precious old trees and lawns. Following a day of holiday and design searching, throw a blanket down and relax in this beautiful little hideaway.

Travel Tips

The Netherlands really is the land of bikes. Bicycling a great way to get around and watch The Hague fast and with ease, thanks to the brilliant infrastructure set up for cyclists. There are only a couple of basic rules in regards to biking: Keep to the right, use hand signals to let fellow cyclists understand your next move also, if necessary, use your bell to prevent collisions. If your biking skills are a little rusty, the public transportation system is excellent; trams, trains and buses are extremely punctual.

For your third-largest town in the nation, The Hague has a slow pace, so you’ll have a really relaxing escape. A majority of the Dutch natives speak English, also thanks to over 150 international organizations in the area, there are some 60,000 expats residing in The Hague and its surrounding towns. If you find yourself enjoying the business of the Dutch drinks, say,”Gezellig,” which loosely translates to”a pleasant time and decent business.”

Inform us What did we miss? Share your picks for design-minded items to do and see at The Hague.

More: City guides for design junkies

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8 Moats Which Float Our Boats

Water in the garden is magical; more so if it’s adjacent to the house, requiring us to cross it to get to the front door. Maybe the magic stems from youth tales of castles and moats, but moats surely don’t exist only in castles.

Traditionally moats were crossed with a simple raised drawbridge, while modern moats are generally spanned by decked walkways or even concrete stepping stones. Using water near our houses may give us a few of the historic advantages of medieval moats — a sense of safety, controlled access to the house as well as the aesthetic pleasure of being near water.

You might believe that many of these examples aren’t moats in the literal sense, but undoubtedly those water characteristics have their roots in our medieval past.

Raymond Jungles, Inc..

If your home security does not involve gates and fencing, there must be something reassuring about having any visitors cross a drawbridge to your front door. Perhaps this reassurance is built into our bodies following our ancestors, that gained a sense of safety from being surrounded by water that kept both wild animals and enemies.

Controlling the access to your house may be an important safety benefit that the modern moat can supply, even if the moat is within the home’s perimeter, as shown here.

These randomly shaped stepping stones direct across the moat, fulfilling its original goal of obstructing the entrance but with more of a visual awareness of a barrier than a practical one.

Dick Clark + Associates

Modern moats don’t always fit to the medieval pattern of fully surrounding the house, but instead often abut the house on a couple of sides.

Again we see how accessibility to a house is controlled by using stepping stones that appear to float; those cross an underlit moat.

Exedra Architects

Even in the easiest of gardens, a moat could be both practical and ornamental. This basic timber-decked drawbridge creates easy access over the moat, once again bringing echoes previously.

In medieval times a more peaceful use of the moat was supposed to supply fish to the table. Within this modern setting, cosmetic fish now fill the moat, rather than carp or pike.

Coupard Architects and Builders

Not all moats contain water; a few ancient versions were only ditches dug around fortified buildings. Dry moats were used from the early-American colonists in New England to guard their forts. In certain respects the ha-ha, or sunken ditch, served the same purpose.

This raised bridge gives a spectacular entrance, as it crosses woodland surrounding the deck house.

Birdseye Design

Not all modern moats are used for the technical purposes of offering safety and suitable access; most are made only for aesthetic impact.

Large sheets of water, sometimes artificially darkened with dye or using dark structure stuff, beautifully reflect the construction and the landscape that surrounds it, blending the two together.

TempleHome

Reflections in moats could be enlivened with motion, producing patterns in the mirrored skies and landscape.

The easy tube waterfalls not only create motion in the moat, but also add atmospheric noise, while once again a boarded walk mirrors the drawbridges of the past.

Gregory Phillips Architects

In the end, a fantastic example of a minimalist moat. Pared down to its bones, this layout provides the advantages we’ve looked at: The walkway provides accessibility, and the sheet of water provides a sense of safety and beautifully reflects the garden.

More: Gardens Tap Into Rill Water Characteristics

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Tricky Yellow — Friend or Foe?

Sunny yellow can conjure up happy, warm feelings, but it can also represent cowardliness, betrayal, jealousy and duplicity. Regardless of what the consequence, yellow grabs attention and grabs the eye. In poorly lit halls, yellow shows the way. In bedrooms it lifts the mood. But be cautious — bright yellow can look too strong and become an irritant. Don’t let that scare you from using this color, however! Here’s some expert guidance about how yellow can better your property.

Contemporary house architects

Yellow represents glory, joy, wisdom and royalty in China — it was worn with the emperors of ancient times. It is also considered a masculine color — utilized to depict the yang, while white and black symbolize the female yin.

Mixing the masculine yellow and feminine black collectively gives this Asian-inspired room equilibrium.

Cristi Holcombe Interiors, LLC

Feng shui practitioner Rodika Tchi states, “Golds and yellows are the darlings of a good feng shui home. Gold is very popular in feng shui because of its association with wealth and money, and yellow is your complete color of warmth and happiness. The ideal use of these colors will bring a lively, warm but also energy.”

Potter functions beautifully with contrasting blue to give a relaxing and cool vibe to this elegant bedroom.

Paula Grace Designs, Inc..

In Hinduism yellow is the color of the solar plexus chakra, which is representative of energy and will. The notion is that when this chakra is open, it functions to empower a person to find personal advantage.

These lovely soft yellows and golds are very easy on the eye — a perfect backdrop for rejuvenating at the end of the day.

LDa Interiors & Architecture

Yellow is the easiest color to see in the distance — that is why taxis are usually yellow, along with the yellow flag in automobile races signals caution. Historically, girls across many cultures utilized to tie a yellow ribbon in their hair or around a tree to welcome their guys home from war.

Make your home welcoming with a yellow front door. There is no way your visitors will unintentionally drive past your house!

Story & Space – Interior Design and Color Guidance

Despite all of its advantages, the pros at Color Matters inform us that yellow is the most fatiguing of colors. More light is represented with this bright shade, too stimulating the eyes. Try using bright yellow in tiny amounts, especially in job places.

Yellow is a bright and cheerful color in milder colors. In this office it works superbly as an accent to turquoise.

Crisp Architects

Artist and University of Alberta, Canada, professor Harry Wohlfarth conducted study in the 1980s that showed that blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates increased the most under yellow light.

If you like those bright lemon yellows, then maybe book them for a powder room, where you are not likely to devote enough time in order for it to become an issue.

While older wives’ tales claim that babies cry more in a yellow room and partners will argue more in a yellow kitchen, but they’ve yet to be scientifically proven. I say if you want it, go with it — but perhaps exercise caution and steer clear of those vivid lemon yellows.

Vanni Archive/Architectural Photography

Vincent van Gogh was a particular admirer of yellow. In 1888 he wrote to his sister in the South of France: “Now we are having lovely hot, windless weather that’s quite beneficial to me personally. The sun, a light which for lack of a better word I can only call yellow, bright sulfur yellow, pale lemon gold. How beautiful yellow is!”

Certainly the sun makes us feel better. There’s nothing like a warm yellow for producing a Mediterranean aesthetic with terra-cotta tiles and warm woods, as shown here.

See how to work with bright yellow

Inform us Is yellow your friend or foe, and how have you used it? Inform us from your Comments!

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Fantastic Design Plant: Winter Daphne

As unmistakable and memorable as the smell of a leather baseball glove or Chanel No. 5, the first whiff of winter daphne lets you know that the seasons are changing and that it’s always good to be in a backyard — even on a cold winter morning, once the odor of this tiny pink blossoms looks even stronger. The evergreen shrub is handsome, too. A lot of people would agree: If your climate allows it, do all you can to grow daphne. Obviously, there is a caveat: The plant is a entire diva. And there is no sure way to keep it alive and healthy. But try.

Botanical name: Daphne odora
Common title: Winter daphne
Origin: Native to China and Japan
USDA zones: 7 to 9
Water necessity: Moderate; do not let the soil dry out
Light requirement: Partial color, especially where there is midday sun
Mature size: 3 to 4 ft tall and wide, and bigger
advantages and tolerances: Small but potently fragrant flowers can fill a backyard with odor; some sprigs attracted indoors will perfume a room. The lustrous-leafed tree matches into many landscape conditions. It is generally free of insect pests but is susceptible to often-mysterious origin maladies, creating its reputation as an unpredictable malingerer.
Seasonal curiosity: Blooms in mid to late winter and early spring
When to plant: Plant container-grown plants almost any time of year, though spring and autumn are generally the best times.

Distinguishing attributes. Daphne is a handsome evergreen with dense foliage and glistening green leaves; ‘Aureo-Marginata’ is a popular variety with variegated leaves. Fragrant pink flowers appear in tight clusters at the branch tips.

Growing tips: locate a place in partial shade where you can enjoy the smell and sight of the blossoms. Amend the soil thoroughly with compost and do not bury the cover of the main ball. Don’t overwater in summer — this promotes soil diseases. If your plant dies, try another place. Try it into a pot.

To control the shrub’s size and form, you can prune, or even shear back, a few inches after bloom. Cut bouquets of flowers liberally — this is all the pruning required to maintain bushy growth.

How to utilize it. Squeeze in a single daphne tree where people hang outside or walk close to the back or front entrance, near a patio, in the border of a shady border (be sure at least half a day of sun is available). Daphne looks great in a mixed border, in a bed that is raised and in a container. Or plant a set of three in a curve or corner on your backyard. Shown here is the typical size and form of a gently pruned seven-year-old plant: 3 ft tall and 5 ft wide.

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Have It Your Way — What Makes Architecture Successful

The architect’s job isn’t to use the client as a way to accomplish their very own creations, but to design a party of their client’s life by meeting all the essential program requirements with creativity and imagination. A sheet of architecture may look great in a magazine, but if it does not satisfy the client’s requirements in a beautiful and practical way, it’s failed.

How does one create architecture that is successful? The answer lies in its very purpose.

DWYER DESIGN

First, by means of background, I participated in a ideabook discussion centered around some odd elements of a project I had recently completed. The layout was provocative and elicited many comments, some sort and some not.

As far as I love a compliment, I was most absorbed by the remarks that began, “If this were my house, I’d have … ” Or, “If it had been me, I would have done … ” This discovered a common stereotype of an architect’s work: that we are arrogant egomaniacs who bully customers into building our very own visions. I will agree that those architects do indeed exist (that sentence might have just cost me some future American Institute of Architects membership), and I often have to fight this back stereotype early in my client relationships.

But rather than talking stereotypes, let us talk about what structure should be. My answer to these remarks? Obviously. Obviously it could be different. Obviously it might reflect you.

When I had been a musician, and individual A from a small town in Michigan hired me to write a piece of music which has been a party of her life, that piece of music could be significantly different than a piece of music composed to celebrate the life of individual B, who lives in Los Angeles. That is the way it should be, and structure is only frozen music ( or so said Johann Wolfgang von Goethe).

Bruce Wright

Too frequently a work of design is judged unfairly since it is supposed to be the product of a ego-driven architect bullying a client into building the architect’s vision. But the very best design is in reality a product of a client eager to talk about her or his eccentricities and an architect who’s willing to integrate those eccentricities into a unique and imaginative structure.

Spry Architecture

As I said in my remarks, if this were your house, possibly the fireplace shown here could be wrapped in steel. If the house belonged to Colonel Sanders, the fireplace could be wrapped in chicken feathers.

Russell

That’s the best thing about design: individualization. A detail which arouses a personal thought or feeling for the homeowner.

Spry Architecture

This floor plan is for a client who dislikes right angles. In her words: “If my house has one right angle, I will be very unhappy.”

What a professional architect misses by not picking up on a client’s small eccentricities is an opportunity for individualization that is likely to produce the structure special and bring it to life.

SeARCH Architecture and Urban Planning

Architecture isn’t about perfect universal solutions. Those do not exist. It is about solutions appropriate to the context of the project. The context is the client’s requirements, site conditions, climate, budget and so on.

Kuhl Design Build LLC

I really like this example of individualization, since it resembles a kid in a giant washing machine. Architecture is always best viewed through the eyes of a youngster’s imagination.

Spry Architecture

I really like the giraffe head in this house since it provides a whimsy to the space that reflects the client’s comedy. It is amusing, and modern structure frequently takes itself too seriously.

And I really like the stone fireplace in the third picture from the top since the stone is personal to the homeowner, a piece of the past. The stone makes that house her house.

That is architecture.

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Summer Plants: How to Grow Taller

There is no competition: Homegrown tomatoes, freshly harvested, flavor best. Given that, including them at a summer vegetable garden is a no-brainer. The following question is, which to grow? There are tomatoes for every single region, from Alaska with its short summers to the cool Pacific Northwest to the hot and humid South.

However there are other considerations besides climate. Would you like giant beefsteak tomatoes, salad tomatoes, miniature cherry tomatoes or sauce or adhesive berries? Are you dedicated to “traditional” dark reddish fruits, or are you intrigued by berries that are rosy pink, orange, yellow, green, striped or so dim a purple they seem black? Do you want to come back to your origins with heirloom varieties, plant one of the newer hybrids or mix and match? Finally, do you want a single crop or one which lasts from summer until frost kills the plants?

You may even decide if you want a tidy and neat, though less prolific, manufacturer, called a determinate variety, or one of the more sprawling, bigger indeterminate (vining) types. Determinate varieties generally reach only about 3 ft, need minimal support and produce a harvest all at one time. Indeterminate varieties can spread to 16 ft and do best with assistance; they create a harvest over an extended season. Semideterminate varieties have attributes of both kinds.

More manuals to developing your own vegetables

Margie Grace – Grace Design Associates

When to plant: Establish starts or nursery plants when the soil is warm and there’s no danger of frost. To grow from seed, start seeds indoors five to eight months before your intended planting date.

Days to maturity: 50 to 90 times when the plants have been set out

moderate requirement: Total sun

Water requirement: Regular and deep watering, but let dry out between waterings

Favorites: Amish Paste, beefsteak, Better Boy, Big Beef, Big Boy, Black Krim, Brandywine, Caspian Pink, Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, Dona, Early Girl, Fourth of July, Green Zebra, Homestead 24, Isis Candy, Kellogg’s Breakfast, Mortgage Lifter, Oregon Spring, Ozark Pink, Paul Robeson, Roma, San Marzano, Siberia, Siletz, Stupice, Sub Arctic Max 1, Sun Gold, Supersweet 100, Sweet 100, Viva Italia

To grow from seed, start indoors five to eight months before your intended planting date. Plant tomatoes in the earth after they have at least two sets of mature leaves.

Planting: Wait until frost is past and the soil has warmed up before planting berries outside. Choose a website with rich, well-drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; amend your soil when it is either alkaline or quite acidic. If fusarium or verticillium wilt is a problem in your area, do not plant where you have planted berries in the previous two decades. Start looking for a website in full sun for at least six and preferably eight hours every day. Cherry tomatoes may take less sunlight, but the sunnier the spot, the better the results.

If you don’t want to start from seed, you can generally find a good choice of transplants at nurseries, including unusual and heirloom varieties. Start looking for plants which are short and sturdy rather than tall and lanky and that haven’t yet set blossoms or fruit.

Ways to Get Your Garden Launched With Seeds

Andrea Meyers

Infection notes: Tomatoes are highly susceptible to a range of ailments. Seeds which are resistant to the common and destructive of these diseases are labeled as follows: A (alternaria leaf spot), F (fusarium wilt), FF (Race 1 and Race 2 fusarium wilt), L (septonia leafspot), N (nematodes), T (tobacco mosaic virus) and V (verticillium wilt). Check to see whether these diseases are a problem in your area and select seeds so.

Remove the bottom two sets of leaves from every transplant, whether nursery purchased or started from seed. Dig a hole deep enough to cover the stem up towards the bottom of the rest of the leaves and then add amendments. Place from the plants; insert dirt and business the plant set up.

Leave 2-3 feet between plants whenever they will be staked or in cages; 3 to 4 ft if you would like to let them grow unfettered.

If you are growing in pots: Look for containers which are at least 20 g; a half barrel is a good choice. Cherry tomatoes can be grown in slightly bigger containers, but select as large a size as you can. Some folks swear by upside down containers; others find they are not as productive.

Whatever you choose, make sure that there is good drainage. Fill the container with well-amended potting soil and plant as described above.

Steve Masley Consulting and Design

Nicolock Paving Stones and Retaining Walls

When you’ve planted the berries, whether from the ground or a container, then water them thoroughly. If you reside in a place particularly vulnerable to cutworms, put collars around the seedlings at this time.

This is also the ideal time to bring any bets. They may be traditional tomato cages, stakes or any sturdy support, including a woven service of branches. Nonmetal stakes or cages won’t burn the plant if they get hot. Determinate types need little to no staking. Other forms can be left to sprawl, but getting them off the ground helps prevent foliage and soil-borne ailments and keeps the fruit from rotting or bringing pests.

Erin Ponte Landscape Design

Growing-season care: Water regularly, directing the water to the base of the plant rather than using overhead sprinklers, and allow the soil dry out between waterings. You might want to water only every week to ten days, depending upon your climate. Attempt to prevent seesawing on water programs — too much one time, then excessive drying out — as this may lead to fruit split along with other issues. Cut back on watering as the fruit sets.

Tomatoes do not need an excessive amount of food. If you have rich soil, you are probably alright. If your land is not as rich, just lightly put in a low-nitrogen fertilizer every couple of weeks from the beginning of blossoms until you finish picking. You might also apply controlled-release fertilizer or utilize a diluted foliage fertilizer. Many experts recommend worm tea.

As plants grow, utilize soft ties to attach the stalks to the support. If you are using a cage, keep the branches indoors. Some people propose slough off the suckers that brow between the stem and the branches. It is not necessary; doing so will result in bigger fruit but a general smaller crop.

Note: Lightly brushing the blossoms with your palms or a paintbrush can aid in pollination.

Managing fleas: The pests that bother other vegetables will not leave tomatoes alone either. Aphids, Colorado potato beetles, cutworms, flea beetles, leaf miners, melon flies (in tropical areas), nematodes and whiteflies can all cause problems. Tomato hornworms are several other common pests.

Practice good gardening techniques and look for organic solutions to the typical problems, including picking off the hornworms and ruining them. Gophers and other tiny animals — like raccoons, birds, rodents and, in my own case, a cocker spaniel who considers just-ripe tomatoes the ideal bite — may also wreak havoc on your harvest.

Gopher cages may be effective, and good fencing may different dogs and other hungry creatures in the fruit.

Amy Renea

Diseases can be more of a problem. A laundry list includes late blight, leaf roll, blossom-end rot, wilts and tobacco mosaic virus.

Proper garden care, particularly if watering, will help prevent problems, but when the illness is severe, you will need to destroy the plants, keeping any diseased plants out of your mulch.

Gardening with Confidence®

Harvest: select the fruit when it’s business and fully ripe (which can be a struggle to ascertain with berries which are still green when ripe). Store it where temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) — in other words, not in the refrigerator.

If frost threatens, select unripe tomatoes and allow them to fully ripen indoors or use instantly in specialty dishes. You might also pull the entire plant and hang it upside down in a sheltered spot until most of the fruit ripens.

Do you grow berries? Please discuss your favourite variety for where you live.

More: manuals to developing your own vegetables

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