| Britain's Prince Charles has revealed his favourite gardening ...
Charles posed in his comfortable get-up ahead of an interview with BBC Radio 4's 'Gardeners' Question Time', marking the show's 60th anniversary. The prince often dons his camel-coloured wool coat - believed to have been a gift from Pakistan - for time pottering in the garden. In the interview, to be aired on Easter Sunday (08.04.07), listeners will hear the royal share his gardening tips with horticultural experts. Charles told the show's chairman Eric Robson that his love of gardening went back to when he was a boy and he shared a vegetable patch with sister Princess Anne in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Charles slammed EU rules restricting the sale of historical varieties of seed, enforced to ensure customers do not get plants that aren't uniform. The prince said: 'What could be crazier than reducing ourselves to far too few varieties and finding, at the end of the day, that maybe they are then more subject to disease and complications? 'What could be crazier than having the kind of EU legislation which made it impossible to sell the seeds of many of these wonderful old varieties that people have developed over thousands of years?' The 58-year-old royal - a keen organic farmer - is reported to have spent 500,000 on the gardens at his Gloucestershire country home Highgrove.
Iris family couples blooming beauty, versatility
Irises are among the most versatile plants for the North American landscape. They are prized for both flower and foliage. Mention iris, and the first one that comes to mind is the bearded iris. The spring bloom of the bearded iris is a site to behold because of the size and shape of the bloom and its deeply saturated colors. Irises don't require a cold period to bloom like most spring bulbs and are cold hardy to zone 3. That makes them well suited from zone 3 to zone 9. This is one of those times when Southerners become jealous because our irises are just past peak and gardeners in the North still can look forward to iris blooms. If you have never gotten close to a bearded iris, you may wonder where it gets its name. It is because of the hairs that are clearly visible in the middle of the falls, or petals.
Landscaping tips for style and flexibility
Many homeowners desire the high-end look of stone on their property's walks and driveways at more modest concrete prices. One way to do this is with interlocking concrete pavers - a pavement type that is rapidly growing in popularity. Interlocking concrete pavers use high-strength, durable concrete units that interlock together to form a patterned surface which can be put into service immediately. Pavers are manufactured in various shapes, sizes, textures and colours. An important benefit of pavers is that they can be removed and reinstalled, which reduces future service interruptions and keeps replacement costs down. They are often used in walkways, patios, driveways, plazas and downtown renovations. Concrete pavers are available in a wide range of styles. For instance, one is crafted to resemble Roman paving stones.
LOCAL: Hartland tables Wal-Mart plan
The Hartland Township Planning Commission on Thursday night tabled a preliminary site plan for the Hartland Marketplace shopping center, which would also feature a Wal-Mart "supercenter."
Commissioner and Trustee Larry Hopkins said there are still questions regarding lighting, landscaping and a traffic study, thus the commission wasn't comfortable approving the project, pegged for Blaine and Highland (M-59) roads.
They were disappointed, I'm sure," Hopkins said of Farmington Hills-based developer Grand Sakwa Properties. "The planning commission was not gleeful about that decision. It was just something that could not be overlooked.
Hopkins said the developer told them they might not be back because of time constraints for their project and deals.
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