Home and Garden briefs

By: North County Times | Thursday, October 19, 2006 7:00 PM PDT ∞

Events

HOME EXPO: The Preferred Home and Living Expo runs today through Sunday at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore, featuring Organizational Consultant Peter Walsh of the television show "Clean Sweep" from TLC network. He will conduct two seminars on home organization at noon and 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the main stage. The 40-minute seminars will be followed by audience Q&A. The Expo will also offer home design and landscaping ideas and products, including bath and kitchen remodeling, pools, spas, BBQs, patios, windows, doors, roofing and more. Expo hours are 1-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Call (800) 577-8210.

HOME EXPO: The Del Mar Fairgrounds hosts the 30th annual Home Decorating & Remodeling Show today through Sunday. More than 550 booths featuring the latest in spas, sunrooms, shutters, tile, windows paving, flooring and more will be available. Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. today, and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Call (800) 999-5450 or visit www.showsusa.net.

NO-LAWN WORKSHOP: Landscape designer Pamela Homfelt will hold "Landscapes Minus Lawn?" a free mini-workshop, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Oct. 28 at the City of San Diego Environmental Services "Green Building," 9601 Ridgehaven Court, Kearny Mesa. She will lead a tour of the Ridgehaven demonstration garden, formerly a landscape of lawns and foundation hedges. No reservations are required; a forecast of rain cancels the event. Call (619) 741-1090 or visit www.sdhortsoc.org.

CELEBRATION: Home store Aesthetyx celebrates Dia de los Muertos with a week of festivities from Thursday through Nov. 2 at 466 N. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas. Call (760) 203-9697. The schedule:

6-9 p.m. Thursday: Ofrenda (Altar) Building Party. The owners will be building an altar in their store and decorating sugar skulls. Join in while enjoying light tapas. Photos will be taken of the finished altar and will be available to all of those who participated.

6-9 p.m. Oct. 28: Authentic Mexican Fiesta. Festive music, Mexican food, and a raffle drawing.

6-9 p.m. Nov. 1: Dia de los Muertos "Angelitos" (the souls of the children who have died). Participate by leaving a remembrance of any child who has passed and light a candle.

6-9 p.m. Nov. 2: Dia de los Muertos: Participate by leaving a remembrance of any dearly departed loved one and light a candle.

FLOWER SHOW: The Icheyo School of Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) will present a flower show, "Autumn Fantasy," from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 28-29 in Casa del Prado, Room 101 in Balboa Park, San Diego. Demonstrations at 1 and 2 p.m. Also a bazaar of Ikebana items (containers, materials, books). Call Myrna Hines at (619) 222-2299.

Online

ORCHIDS & ONIONS: The San Diego Architectural Foundation has gone online with its "People's Choice" voting for the 2006 Orchids & Onions awards, San Diego's awards program for the built environment. Voting is open to the public and will take place through Oct. 31. The public may vote on nominations by visiting www.signonsandiego.com/orchidsandonions/, which hosts a link to the foundation's Web site.Vote on whether you think each project is an Orchid (a good design) or an Onion (not visually appealing), or if you have no opinion. Additionally, voters can post comments about the projects on the Web site blog. For more about the foundation or the Orchids & Onions program, visit www.sdarchitecture.org or e-mail to orchidsonions@sdarchitecture.org.

Meetings

MiraCosta Horticulture Club: Meets 12:45 p.m. Saturday at the Alta Vista Gardens at 1270 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista (on the Hilltop). Karen England of Edgehill Herb Farm will speak on Herb of the Year 2006: Scented Geraniums. She is past president of the Vista Garden Club and board member of the International Herb Association. Karen and her husband, David, own and operate a Web-based herb business, www.edgehillherbfarm.com, from their home in Vista. Workshop, refreshments, and a plant raffle. Visit http://www.gardencentral.org/californiagc/miracosta/ or call (760) 729-8172, (760) 721-3281.

Floral Design Forum: Meets 12:30-3 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Woman's Club of Carlsbad, 3320 Monroe St., Carlsbad. Robert Gordon, AIFD, San Luis Obispo, speaks on the influence of California Garden Clubs Inc., flower growers, florist design and more. Cost is $8 at the door. Call (760) 747-6615 or (760) 749-9608.

Carlsbad African Violet Society: Meets 10 a.m. Monday at the Vista Public Library, 700 Eucalyptus St., to set up, socialize and buy raffle tickets. Culture Class is "Turkey Necks" by Audrey Hanthorn. Video is "Everything You Need to Know About African Violets" by Audrey Hanthorn. Business meeting at 12:45 p.m. Call (760) 433-4641.

Carlsbad Garden Club: Meets 1 p.m. Nov. 3 at Heritage Hall, 2650 Garfield St., Carlsbad. Sergio of Plantplay Nursery in Carlsbad will discuss garden containers, including selecting the pot, choosing the best plants for dramatic effects, placing them properly and how to maintain them. Garden-related items for sale and light refreshments. Call (760) 931-9863 or www.carlsbadgardenclub.org.

Ramona Garden Club: Meets at noon Nov. 8 at the Ramona Community Library Resource Room. Judi Brady, co-owner of Rusty Acres Herb Farm in Rainbow, will speak on growing lavender and its culinary and healing attributes. Also present at this meeting will be George Speer, president of Palomar District of the California Garden Clubs Inc. He will discuss the benefits, activities and functions of the Palomar district at the state and national levels. Call (760) 789-8880 or visit www.RamonaGardenClub.com.

American Begonia Society, Mable Corwin Branch: Meets at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive. Education about begonias will be presented with beautiful pictures. A harvest fair follows. Bring items/plants/produce to barter, sell or share. Call (760) 753-3977.

Classes

At Walter Andersen nurseries: These free classes are offered at 9:30 a.m. Saturdays at the Poway location, 12755 Danielson Court. Call (858) 513-4900 or visit www.walterandersen.com. Show up early and have coffee on us!

Saturday: Groundcovers and erosion control: Get ready for winter!

Oct. 28: Fall rose care

Nov. 4: Fall Decorating Ideas with Sharon May, author of "May in the Garden"

Nov. 11: Ornamental grasses with Randy Crow from Green Meadow Growers

Nov. 18: Tillandsias and bromeliads with Ken Andersen

Dec. 2: Houseplant care and culture

Dec. 9: Pruning roses (first class)

Dec. 16: Caring for poinsettias, living Christmas trees and cut trees

Dec. 30: Fruit tree pruning

Jan. 6: Rose pruning and bare root roses

Jan. 13: Fruit tree pruning

Jan. 20: Rose pruning

Jan. 27: Fruit tree pruning

At Home Depot: These free how-to clinics are offered in October. Register at your local store. Call your local store for details or visit www.homedepotclinics.com:

Do-It-Herself Workshop:

7 p.m. Monday: Empower Yourself: Basic Home Repair and Home Safety

10 a.m. Saturdays: Family Fire Safety

1 p.m. Sundays (except Oct. 29): Creating an Energy Efficient Home

Event Weekend (Thursday through Oct. 28): Winter preparation

7 p.m. Thursday: Winterizing Your Lawn

1 p.m. Oct. 29: Creating an Energy Efficient Home

At Lowe's: These free how-to clinics are offered in October. Register at your local store or online at Lowes.com/Clinics. Contact your local store for details:

10 a.m. Saturday: Build and Grow Clinics for Kids: Fire Truck

11 a.m. Saturdays: Paint and Update the Exterior of Your Home

Noon Saturdays: How to Prepare Your Lawn for Fall and Winter

Noon Saturdays: Paint Decorative Finishes on Trim and Moulding

1 p.m. Saturdays: Save Money and Save Energy

Send Home & Garden items to Features Editor Laura Groch, North County Times, 207 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido, CA 92025, fax to (760) 745-3769, or e-mail to features@nctimes.com.

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