Friday Links: Designer Rugs, a Book on Native Plants, and the Upcoming KCMO Bond Vote
Cool New Line of Affordable Designer Rugs by HGTV’s Joanna Gaines
These new Magnolia rugs by Joanna Gaines from HGTV offer many colors, styles, and textures. Here are a couple of my faves:
Buy this Garden Book
I recommend Native Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the Garden, by Alan Branhagen, the (outgoing) director of horticulture at Powell Gardens, Kansas City’s botanical garden. I recently attended a presentation by Mr. Branhagen, and it was is one of the most informative and inspiring moments of my Master Gardening career. This book aims to inspire readers to plant native plants while learning how and where to grow them successfully. This quote, taken from the book’s introduction, touches on the importance of our native landscape:
“The lack of diversity in planting projects and the use of low or no value, nonnative, and hybrid plants has contributed to the dearth of beneficial insects, and up the food chain to birds and bees. The system is becoming more out of balance.”
Flooding Basement in KCMO? There’s a Vote Coming Up
The upcoming Kansas City bond vote on the April 4th ballot has me torn. On the one hand, we definitely need flood control in certain parts of Kansas City. On the other, we already pay SO. MANY. TAXES. We Kansas Citians pay a real estate property tax, automobile property tax, 1% earnings tax in KCMO, nearly 10% sales tax on all of our local purchases (not to mention state and federal taxes)… Plus, an average monthly water bill of about $110 which includes a small stormwater fee. Sheesh. I know it is a modest increase (it works out to be about $100/year for 20 years), but gosh, I feel like I’m already paying the city plenty in tax money and it seems like a new tax is added every year. Nevertheless, it is an issue that affects my clients and neighbors, and I’d love to hear what you have to say.
I am loving some of the rugs from CB2 right now too! Some fun colors and fresh patterns.