Homes Plus
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HOMES PLUS FEBRUARY 2014 6 If you're building or remodeling, this is a MUST attend event. Visit with 50+ LOCAL exhibitors and attend one of our many seminars . www.wcba-wi.org Admission: $5 at the door $3 Seniors & Advance • Under 17 FREE Free Admission Sunday 12-5 with 2 non-perishable food items. Free Parking . Washington County Fair Park Pavilion Hwy. 45 to Hwy. PV • 3000 Pleasant Valley Road, West Bend KIDS: Build Your Own Birdhouse or Toolbox at the Children's Construction Site Advanced tickets available from WCBA Members HOME BUILDING & REMODELING EXPO WCBA 2014 Friday, February 14th • 4 pm - 8pm Saturday, February 15th • 10 am - 6pm Sunday, February 16th • 10 am - 5pm Seminar By: Gus Gnorski (You know him from Fox 6 Wake Up News and Ask Gus.) Saturday, February 15 • 2pm Sunday, February 16 • 2pm Gus Gnorski Sponsored by: Complimentary tickets available from vendors while supplies last . Presenting Sponsor: 1101 Commerce Blvd., Slinger Gold Sponsor: Childrens Face Painting Affordable Located just 12 minutes from Waukesha shopping this 3 BR, 2.5 BA Colonial is nestled in Vernon's Windcrest Subdivision of fine homes. Home features include reverse osmosis water system in kitchen, gas fireplace convertible to natural and more! Price is an incredible buy for area at $279,900! Please call Karen Larson for more details at 414-588-2798. MLS #1343102 2 3 6 6 4 4 0 0 8 W265S8020 Somerset Lane, Vernon • $ 279,900 Karen Larson Direct: (414) 588-2798 KLarson@HomesByKaren.com www.KarenLLarson.com This year's selection for perennial plant of the year is a beautiful, graceful switch grass called Northwind. It was introduced by Roy Diblik of the Northwind Perennial Farm near Burlington. He originally col- lected seeds from a grass found near Elgin, Ill., and grew them to see what he would find. Plant geeks, as I like to call myself and others in the profession, like to do this kind of thing. As the seedlings grew, he noticed one of them had an excellent upright form with great attributes, and the rest you could say, was history. Northwind is a dark green, upright clumping grass that blooms late summer through fall. Its seed heads look like sprays of flowers coming from the middle of the clump and shooting above the foliage. They look a lot like baby's breath, in my opinion. It's a stately grass with both the leaves and seed sprays perfectly upright in form. This makes it different from most grasses that have either arching leaves or seed heads. Other nice features include its golden yellow fall color and deer resist- ance. It should also be left to stand through the winter for your enjoyment and the birds. It also makes a calming swishing sound, which is why it's called switch grass, as it blows in the breeze. Northwind can be used many different ways in the landscape. It works in both formal and informal plantings. It can be used as a specimen plant, planted in mass for a spectacular display, mixed in with other grasses to provide contrast, and can even be planted as a hedge. I started a grass bed as a winter wind screen about seven years ago and have three of these mixed in with different forms of maiden grass. This bed's beauty and grace has outperformed its function, in my opinion, although it still does an excellent job of blocking the winter winds from my roses. Northwind is easy to grow and establish- es quickly. It's hardy and grows best in full sun, although it also will grow in part sun- shade. It can grow in both sandy and clay soil types, is drought tolerant once estab- lished, and can even survive occasional flooding. It's also salt tolerant for those of you looking for something to plant close to roads or areas that receive extra salt in the winter. Care for this grass is also as simple as it gets. Simply cut it back to a couple of inches in spring and let it go. Northwind switch grass deserves a place in any landscape with its great form, sea- son round interest, versatility of uses, and ease of growth and care. What more can you ask for in a grass? Happy gardening! Perennial plant of the year grows easily (Michael Timm is the head horticultur- ist with Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixo- nia. He can be reached at mtimm@eberts- greenhouse.com.)