• Coldwell Banker Griffith & Blair is pleased to welcome Michelle Cox, Ron Napier and Mike Palmer to their team of sales associates. Also, Fred and Debbie Laubach have recently been awarded the designation of Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) .... FULL STORY

Beautiful garden just needs a little discipline, nurturing
Everyone knows that the right combination of discipline and nurture is key to raising a happy, healthy child. These two often-contradictory factors play a big part in a beautiful, flourishing garden as well. While the nurture of food and water is well known to most folks, the discipline part is often misunderstood.

Air cleaner can improve A/C operation
Dear Jim: I want the best quality air at home for my family. I am trying to decide which type of central air cleaner is best. Will installing a central air cleaner make my heating and cooling more efficient? — Steve D.

Dear Steve: Installing a high-quality central air cleaner in the furnace/air conditioner duct system doesn't technically improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. What it will do is keep the heating and cooling units running at their highest original efficiency levels.

Know what not to do in home landscape
This is the second of a three-part series on common, recurring landscape maintenance mistakes that I have encountered during my 34-year career with K-State Research and Extension. I hope you will share my concerns with others who may not see this column.

Personalize wedding with handmade favors
It used to be that wedding guests would collect a party napkin or a few candies to remember the special day. Now, brides and grooms are turning to more personalized and elaborate favors as a way of placing a signature on their day.

Handmade wedding favors are a thoughtful way to show how much you appreciate your wedding attendees. You don't need to be super-crafty to make these simple and fun creations. All you need is a little time, imagination and a few helpful friends or family members.

Winners in annual daylily show named
The Topeka Daylily Club's annual American Hemerocallis Society accredited flower show was June 28. A total of 181 entries were judged in the horticulture division. American Hemerocallis Society Rosettes went to the following:

Sick Plant Clinic scheduled
Gardeners with ailing plants or "mystery" plants are invited to bring them for diagnosis and identification to the Extension Master Gardeners Sick Plant Clinic.

Going green
Install skylights. Reduce electricity consumption by installing skylights in your home to provide natural light.