Editor's Letter
Tools of Torture
Shovels, lawn mowers, clippers…oh my…back.

Is it me or did it seem like we just had the longest winter on record? If you keep up with my letters, you might remember my November letter that said I actually was looking forward to winter because of its forced downtime. I did enjoy the break from yardwork and time to reflect on upcoming plans, but the problem is that I had so much time off that I think I might have gone overboard with my vision. It’s not enough for me to start what was probably an overly ambitious vegetable garden to begin with, but now I’ve got additions to many different areas of our property, including a secret garden, butterfly garden and sunflower patch. Most experienced gardeners smile to themselves when they hear it all. “I tried that once,” they say. “And it’s a lot of work.” Maybe they underestimate my dogged determination to totally transform five acres in five months. Or maybe I’m overestimating my stamina. We’ll see.

In any case, I’ve been waiting (and waiting) for the weather to become consistently pleasant so I can get outside. The first warm days of the season were most appreciated. We started with an early-season burn of about four acres to prepare the land to be replanted with prairie grasses and wildflowers. The stand will take a few years to mature, but it will reduce water runoff, cleanse our drinking water, decrease what we have to mow and provide a natural habitat for wildlife. Many homeowners can take this basic idea by using native plantings on a smaller scale in rain gardens. Click here to learn more about this gardening technique.

Even though I’m a hard worker, I’m not immune to needing a break from all my physical labor. There are thousands of activities going on in Kansas City this spring that I don’t want to miss. You’ll find many of them by checking our online calendar. The metropolitan area’s numerous and wonderful garden tours are on my agenda, for sure — no one can ever have enough inspiration.

If you want some ideas, too, we’ve got them here. Give your home some summer spunk with our 20 tips for changing your seasonal decor or take on a new outdoor project, such as creating an edible landscape. You don’t have to tackle every project at once to make a difference, but if you want to try attacking multiple goals, a life coach can help you focus and move forward. Heck, I might freeze up myself and have to give one a call!







Andrea Darr,
Editor-in-Chief
adarr@kc-hg.com

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Did you know the air you breathe at home can affect your quality of life? If you’re considering building a new house, visit the KC Health Home first. It epitomizes the highest standards in energy efficiency and clean air in new construction. The home will be open to the public May 4-18. Visit www.kchealthhome.com for more information.