12 - Friday, February 24, 1995 - North Shore News

STORIES

Roy
vonsson

sow it grows

VERY FEW people set out to
buy a new garden, Most buy a
new home and hope they
acquire an appropriate gar-
den as part of the package.

Buying a home and garden will be
the biggest single expenditure of their
lifetime, tt is also where they will
spend more dine than any place else,
particularly if the tend towards home
“work stadons’ and home-based
businesses continues,

The price of homes has gone up
steadily over the last 50. years and
will continue to do so as our popula
tion grows. The current average sale
price for homes in North Vancouver
is $390,000 and in West Vancouver it
is $650,000.

A cule of thumb for the fandscap-
ing costs on a new home is 5-10% of

Twin Size

Double Size
Queen Size -
in sets only

a

| Sold

the sale price or an average of

§20,000) tee 868,000 for the North
Shore, In spite of the high cost. a
major expenditure Like this often pets
tittle nore than a cursory glance.

Before buying anew house, con-
sider the size of the garden and the
level of maintenance required. The
stalumient PE ohear far toa often is “1
Want dn altractive garden with very
low nitintenanee.”

I stich a garden exists, Ewauld be
very pleased to see it

Assess your) gutdening skills,
interest level and) time availible
before committing yourself toa hirge
landscaped: area. An option, if you
san you afford it, is lo have the gare
den maintitined professionally.

Ih most instinces. his beter to
bay a new home without the fand-
seaping having been done. This
aflows you. as the owner, to contol
the design and quality of the land-
scaping.

Home owners should consider hit
ing a landscape architect, landscape
designer or experienced tantscape
contractor to design or assist in’ the
preparation of a plan,

Hiring a reputable landscaping
contractor to do the work is also very
important, A good garden design is of
little value if the landscape contractor
uses sub-standard materials and does
poor quality work,

Always seek out several quotes
for comparison and ask for refer
ences, This will allow you to check

$1 23 pice
$1 4G pice
51 5B pice

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the quatity of work and look at pro-
jeets that have been completed,

A satisfied home owner isa land:
Scape contractor's best advertising,

if you ate considering a new bome
where the latdseuping las been can:
pleted. fiere are some landscaping
problems to fook out for,

@ The use of heavy excavating equip:
meat can dismupt destinage patioms,
damage tree pout, scar iree trunks
and compact soil, causing tees to die,

Renoving avery large. damaged

coniferous tree after dhe hause and
warden ix complete: can be very
expensive, Seek help from: ae land.
scape consullant or arborist when in
doubt.
@ Arcan that have been backfilled
ipay contin construction debris or
clay and boulders. This action may
cause future sedling af the soil ar the
blocking and crushing of perimeter
drains.

Unfortunately these problems are

nat easily detected.
@ Specifications set by the B.C.
Society of Landscape Architects
require [5S cm (6") of top soil for
lawas, 30 cr C12") for beds and 45
cin (18") for trees.

Unfortunately, lawn sod is often
laid directly on the mineral soil and
trees are planted directly into glacial
clay, With excess water in the planti-
ng hole and no air, the tree roots dic
after the first year and grass yellows

Sve Mistake page 13

BETTE

Sold in sets only

$173
$223
$243.

WHO TO CALL:

Home and Garden Editor Community Editor
Layne Chnstensen Andrew McCredie

985-2131 (118) 985-2131 (147)

fi yee.

nt

r 4 i
“NEWB phota Mike Wakefield

IN MOST instances, it is better to buy a new home without the
landscaping having been dono. This allows you, as the owner, to
control the design and quality of the landscaping being done.

Sealy Posturepedic
Twin Size S203 piece
Double Size *274.hicc
Queen Size

$28 O fice
Sold in sets only