If you think having a yard that attracts feathered friends is for the birds, this blog is definitely not for you. If, however, fluttery, colourful birds sound like something you’d enjoy watching as you relax outside in your hammock, please do read on.

It doesn’t hurt to garden with wildlife in mind. Cultivating a bird-friendly yard and garden is not just welcoming for feathered friends but also inviting for bees, butterflies and other creatures.

There are certain plants and trees that attract birds to your garden more than others. For trees, consider planting mountain ash, birch or crab apple. As birds love to nibble on berries, grow female holly, wintergreen and Spartan juniper. Since seeds are also a big part of their diet, try planting sunflower and ornamental grasses, which provide seeds during harsh winter weather. Vines such as Boston ivy and Virginia creeper and small shrubs such as honeysuckle and sumac are also great for catching the attention of our flying friends.

Summertime is a good time to feed birds as you can enjoy a close-up view of your favourite species. If finches are your thing, consider wild finch mixture or Niger seed. Blue jays, cardinals and chickadees love sunflower seeds.

There are many bird feeders with which to feed feathered friends. Try placing nuts and seeds in attractive wood feeders or pole-mounted and hanging feeders. If squirrels pillage your yard and gardens of any and all edibles, you may need to consider bird feeders that are squirrel proof.

Like most living creatures, birds require water to survive as much as they need food. If you do not live near a natural body of water don’t fret as there are solutions that will keep your birds hydrated and happy. Use a bird bath, fountain or small water garden.  Try to place it in an area that gets some shade. Be sure to change the water often to avoid the development of harmful bacteria.

A bird house is a good investment if you want to attract birds. There are many styles and shapes to choose from so do your homework and decide which one suits your needs. Place the bird house in a tree out of harm’s way of predators and not facing prevailing winds and rain.

Many native plants attract songbirds. Black-eyed susan, foxglove, wild bergamot and New England aster will attract songbirds and help you create a singing garden.

Hummingbirds are an added treat in your garden and, as an extra bonus, they like to consume aphids, spiders and other small bugs.  Plant trumpet vine, honeysuckle, morning glory, petunia, bee balm, bellflower and lavender to attract them. They love the colour red so consider using red ribbon or décor. Place your feeders near the flowers you want them to be attracted to. Clean your feeder every two to three days in hot weather and refill with fresh nectar.

Sources: www.sheridannurseries.com, www.yourleaf.org, www.ofnc.ca

One of the rewards of summer is the kaleidoscope  of colours that sprout up on lawns, porches and balconies, in garden beds, window boxes and containers all across the city.

But what if you happen to live in an exposure that doesn’t get much sunlight? Or your flower beds receive a lot of shade from a neighbouring building or towering trees? Whatever the reason, you can still enjoy the bounty and colourful beauty of summer, but you need to plan for it.

Here’s how you can pretty up your space without a lot of help from the sun:

The path

A pretty stone or gravel path is a great way to deal with a shaded spot. Not only does it suggest a sense of direction and movement, but it also adds colour and texture to your space.

Chuck the grass

Since super green and lush lawns require sunshine you may want to consider replacing grass with an attractive shade-tolerant ground cover such as Bugleweed, Bugbane and Vinca. The other consideration might be to transform the area into an attractive focal point, using mulch or stone as a ground cover.

Play up texture

Nothing is more dreary and dull than a garden filled with the same colour or shapes. Mix up your leaf and flower shapes, their colours and textures to create added visual  interest.

Boost the cozy factor

The days of grass and a few daisies as the only outdoor ornamentation are over. Today we celebrate and live in our outdoors with zeal so look for art and architecture you can display outside, conversation spots such as a welcoming park bench with cushions and calming water features.  You may not have to look too far for pretty outdoor decorations. Repurpose that old wine barrel into a funky counter-height table or  dress up a pretty old window to use as architectural appeal.

Flower power

Who can resist pretty pinks, blues and yellows? Those that do well in low light include Periwinkle and Mountain Laurel.  Some of the best perennial plants and flowers are Columbine, Hostas, Bellflower, Astilbe, Forget-me-nots, Christmas Rose and Lily-of-the-valley. As for shade-loving annuals, why not try Begonias, Sweet Alyssum and Fuscia.

Vines

Virginia Creeper is perfect as its blue-black berries attract birds in the fall. Other outstanding vines that do well in shade include climbing Hydrangea, Boston Ivy and Clematis.

According to Toronto garden writer Marjorie Harris, it’s best to use native woodlanders in your garden as insects need them to surivive. She suggests starting your shade garden with a selection of ferns, hostas and hellebores. All shade-loving plants need well-drained soil with humus in the topsoil. Check out her Toronto shade garden.

Sources: www.bhg.com, www.gardendesign.com, www.sheridannurseries.com

As warm-weather-loving Canadians, is it any wonder that we patiently bide our time as the frigid months and weeks fall by until the much-loved-and-anticipated sunny days of June.

Is it also any wonder that we tend to move our living outdoors come summertime? Let’s face it, a morning coffee, an afternoon cocktail or an evening burger tastes so much better on the outdoor patio.

It’s believed that cooking outdoors is better for the environment than doing so in your kitchen.  Some say it’s quicker. While others like how it keeps your energy bills down as you don’t need to cool down a warm kitchen.

But as much as we like to cook outdoors and as responsible stewards of our planet we should be doing so in a way that doesn’t harm our eco footprint.  Grilling and barbecuing do one heck of a scorch job on the earth. According to the Sierra Club, a well-known U.S.-based environmental group, some 60 million barbecues occur on the Fourth of July each year. Those cook-outs manage to release 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, burning the equivalent of 2,300 acres of forest. What’s more is the amount of charcoal, lighter fuel and gas used on that one celebration is enough to power 20,000 households for one solid year.

So in honour of Father’s Day, let’s take a look at ways to make your next summer cook-out an eco-friendly one.

Solar cooking – This wins the prize for most environmental brownie points. However, know that a solar cooker, while the hands-down champion for its low carbon footprint, has a down side. And that is the cooking is much slower and food will not have the typical grilled taste or appearance. The other point is that solar relies on sunlight which can be challenging during inclement weather.

Gas grills – If solar doesn’t interest you, a gas grill is a good alternative. While propane and natural gas-fueled barbecues do eat up a non-renewable resource, there are some worthwhile benefits. Based on some estimates, propane-powered grills generate three times less greenhouse gas than that of their charcoal cousins. On the negative side, gas grills are more expensive to buy and repair.

Electric grills – Unless you are using an alternative energy source such as solar or wind power, this is not a particularly green option.

Charcoal – While this type of grill will prompt you to recall your childhood days thanks to your food’s smoky charcoal flavour, this kind of grill is a killer when it comes to climate change. Charcoal briquettes contain carbon monoxide and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). If you must use coal, use all-natural lump varieties as they don’t have the chemicals and additives found in briquettes. And the taste imparted on your food is also pretty similar to briquettes.

Pellet grills – They use up compressed pellets of scrap wood that would otherwise be thrown away. Due to this, these types of grills are very eco-friendly and they release a limited supply of emissions. Big-box stores sell a wide array of pellet grills.

Sources: www.growingagreenfamily.com, www.fix.com, www.motherearthnews.com, www.sierraclub.org

We’ve come a long way as consumers, checking in with experts, perusing online reviews, obtaining home inspections and disclosure forms and generally doing our homework on a prospective new house till it hurts.

We should also take that same heightened level of due diligence when it comes to issues that affect the environmental aspects of our homes. How eco-friendly are the appliances, for instance? Has the house had any infestations of mice, rats, cockroaches, termites and other unwanted pests? How well is the attic insulated?

While these may be the dull and dreary facts of home ownership, you’ll be a much more well-informed and prepared homeowner if you go in with your eyes wide open. The following are a number of energy-related considerations you should keep in mind when inquiring about your next new home:

Windows & doors 

As a home ages, so do its windows and doors. There are temporary fixes you can employ but bear in mind that they will not solve your problem permanently. Naturally, dual-paned and triple-paned windows are especially effective at keeping in warm and cool air. R-value or resistance value is also important to note.

Insulation 

The higher the R-value of your insulation the better it is. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, you should look for signs of poor insulation such as cold floors and walls in the winter and hot inside air in the summer. Common types of insulation include spray foam, mineral fibre and fibreglass.

Lots of glass windows and doors 

The views and the setting might be spectacular especially as viewed through all those very large windows and glass doors, but know that living within a all that glass comes at a cost and that will be high energy bills.

How exposure affects energy conservation 

Where your house is positioned in relation to the sun, wind and landscape has an impact on its energy efficiency. It’s said that the best direction for energy conservation is for your home to face either south or east. Each of these exposures gets a significant amount of sunlight, which will help with heating costs come winter.

What age are the home’s big energy consumers

Pay close attention to the big energy users in the home such as heating and cooling systems, which account for nearly half of a home’s energy costs. If they are leaving behind appliances, find out their age. How old is the water heater?

Sources: www.houselogic.com, www.globalnews.com, www.homeguides.sfgate.com, www.chooseenergy.com

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when waiving any and all conditions on an offer was so common it practically became fashionable.

But the market softened and people fortunately regained their senses.

The move to make an offer as attractive as possible meant many condo buyers were removing the condition that required them to approve their status certificate. A status certificate is a legally binding document that tells you about the financial shape of your condo unit and the condo corporation that runs your building.

It’s important not to disregard the status certificate, regardless of how many buyers are competing for the same condo.  This document outlines condo fees, informs you of pending increases, of special assessments being considered by the board and any arrears or liens on a particular unit.

The status certificate also discloses bylaws, budgets, reserve funds, insurance, management contracts, rules and minutes of the last annual general meeting as well as information about lawsuits the condo corporation may be facing. Essentially, the status certificate is a report card on the financial and physical health of your condo.

The status certificate lets you know what extra costs you may incur as a prospective condo owner. So if you do purchase a unit and then learn, say a month later, that you need to cough up $3,000 for new windows, what happens? Well, you have the right to refuse to pay up.

According to the Ontario Condo Information Centre, failing to announce a special assessment or a steep hike in fees or even an important expense against the reserve fund in the status certificate is like trying to sell a car with a rolled-back odometer. “It constitutes false advertising.”

If you’re a bit of a risk taker and you’re really hungry for a particular condo plus you know there could be a feeding frenzy come offer time, why not spend some time investigating potential condos. Do your homework, speak to people who live in those condo buildings you like and learn all you can about its management, finances and physical shape. That way you’ll have much more confidence about your purchase, and if you have to, you can remove the condition, somewhat confident in knowing that the management company has a reputation for doing a good job.

Yes, it’s a risk, but it’s one that may be worth it as long as you do your due diligence.

Sources: www.condoinformation.ca,

By virtue of its name alone, a bully offer doesn’t sound particularly appealing.

After all, who likes a bully?

In fact, just last month, the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) proposed that the province place a ban on the practice of bully offers.

Bully offers, also known as pre-emptive offers, are submitted ahead of the seller’s scheduled offer date. They are typically valid for a short time frame, a move that is intended to circumvent competition from other potential buyers and to place pressure on the sellers.

OREA believes the practice crowds out other buyers, making the process unfair and that it puts undue stress on sellers. The recommendation is one of 28 submitted to the province, which is currently reviewing the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act.

The main reason why buyers make bully offers is to avoid other offers.  The bully buyer is hoping that interest will be relatively low early in the listing timeline before consumers become aware of the property. They jump in with their offer and the buyer just might take it. And even if other buyers are interested the bully offer is hoping they won’t have time to pull together financing or get a home inspection.

Should you accept a bully offer? That depends. If the price is right, why not? That means no more home showings and rushing home from work to stack dirty dishes in the dishwasher or stash unsightly items out of sight. If you are happy with the price, want to be done with the process of selling your home and tend to be a straightforward-thinking seller, this may be for you.

Bear in mind, that for a bully offer to be especially attractive, there should be no conditions. So sellers should expect a firm offer with a sizable deposit. It’s not a bad idea to consider ahead of time what price would prompt you to close the deal.

If, however, you are often uncertain and regretful, this move may not be the one to take. You could end up wringing your hands over what kinds of offers you would have received on offer night. This shoulda-coulda-woulda scenario may haunt you and your finances for months and years. But know that there is also a down side to holding out and that is that, just maybe, that bully offer is your best bet in terms of price and conditions.

Sources: www.cbc.ca

You may have pooh-poohed the notion of trying to create and maintain an eco-friendly garden largely because your wee patch of grass is so, well, wee.

Don’t let size dictate your decision to use genetically modified seeds or harmful lawn chemicals. Remember that every little bit helps. Your efforts will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and encourage the absorption of carbon dioxide by soils and plants which lessens the effects of global warming.

With that in mind, let’s address the old concept of recycling. Yes, you can recycle and reuse a host of items that will make your outdoors look like it came from the pages of a magazine. Here’s how:

Everything old is new again

You’ll need a little time and ingenuity with this point, but the pay-off will be well worth it. Scour antique and junk stores, out-of-town flea markets and garage sales for old tin laundry buckets, terra cotta pots and hand-made bricks. These items will add a distinctive ambiance to your gardens, infusing your outdoor space with colour, interest and charm.

Check your kitchen

As one of the most-used rooms in our homes, the kitchen also contains a lot of stuff. Look here to recycle and reuse materials for your lawn and garden.  Reuse your recycled egg cartons to create seedling starters. Their shallow depth makes them the perfect vehicle to start plants from seed.  Try to place in a south-facing window. The same effect can also be done with plastic lemonade containers that are recyclable.

Use old wine and beer bottles, especially the prettier blue and green ones, to make water planters.  Place water in the bottle then a cut stem and you’ll eventually see roots growing in the water. You can also try wine bottles planted upside down as an edging material. Warning: you will need a lot of bottles.

Outdoor furniture

Tired of that patio set you’ve had for years? If it’s metal and you still like its shape, why not consider a fresh coat of paint. That can definitely breathe new life into something old. But if that won’t do try selling it or giving it away. If your furniture is plastic, you may have a harder time recycling it. Check to see what type of plastic it is.  It’s unlikely your curbside recycling will accepts the furniture, though a larger recycling facility might.

Old wood materials

Try building a compost bin from old pallets. Simply arrange the pallets on their sides and attach four of them together with ropes or wire. The gaps in the pallets are okay as a compost pile needs air to develop.

The other neat thing you can do with pallets and old wood such as scaffolding planks is build a raised garden bed. As we age bending over to tend to gardens can become difficult so installing a raised bed on sawhorses is ideal. Don’t make them super large as the soil will make them too heavy. These raised beds are ideal for plants with shallow roots such as lettuces and herbs.

There are plenty of ways to employ the 3 Rs outdoors this summer. Use your imagination and get your family in on the plan. Eventually you’ll attract more bees and butterflies to your outdoor space and you’ll wonder why you didn’t consider the 3 Rs sooner.

Sources: www.earth911.com, www.growveg.com

As Canadians, we’re known as a nation of polite, peace-loving, funny folks. Here’s another adjective to add to the list: indebted.

And while that may not prompt you to lose any sleep since debt is an ordinary fact of modern life, our numbers are climbing to levels that some might call dangerous. Recent data from Statistics Canada shows household debt at a record high of 178.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year. To put this in perspective, the ratio of household debt to personal disposable income was 66 per cent in 1980. Today’s numbers mean there is nearly $1.79 in credit market debt for every dollar of disposable income.

Our dependence on debt to pay for homes, post-secondary educations and other high-priced items has also affected the reverse mortgage market, sending this debt through the roof. According to Better Dwelling, reverse mortgage debt is growing at ten times the annual pace of regular mortgage debt and has almost tripled in the last five years. As of January, reverse mortgage debt stood at $3.51 billion, a 30.44 per cent hike when compared to a year ago.

In theory, reverse mortgages sound like a great scheme. Home owners 55 and older can borrow from the equity they’ve built in their own homes, either as a lump sum or in scheduled payments. Many think this type of loan is similar to a home equity line of credit (HELOC) and it kind of is but with one very significant difference: you don’t have to pay it back until you die, default or sell.

There is another significant difference: Unlike HELOCs, the interest rate on reverse mortgage debt is much higher. There is no need to worry about eating up the equity in your home if you have no plans to leave your worldly goods to anyone. But if you have children, a loved one or perhaps a charity in mind, you may need to consider other options.

The other consideration to take into account is the fact that interest rates are currently so low they have nowhere to go but up, according to Better Dwelling. So imagine you have this increasingly expensive debt as interest rates start to rise, costing you more of your equity with each uptick. At the same time, you’re likely enjoying your retirement on a fixed income, which means you have limited earnings. This could eat into your equity quicker than you think.

On the plus side, reverse mortgage money is tax free, which means it won’t impact government-based pensions and benefits, according to Wealth Professional. For some retirees, taking a reverse mortgage makes sense as they can delay enrolling in the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Old Age Security (OAS) until they’re 70, which means their benefits will be about 142 per cent of what they would be at 65.

Sources: www.cbc.ca, www.betterdwelling.com, www.wealthprofessional.ca, www.150statcan.gc.ca

It’s too bad winter snow and ice and its accompanying wrath don’t provide for a beautiful landscape once temperatures warm and melt away all signs of winter.

But that would be the stuff of fantasy. Unfortunately, most of our gardens and lawns look pretty sad at this time of year with dead and dried foliage, unkempt lawns and dirt in places where it shouldn’t be.

With springtime upon us and Earth Day right around the corner on April 22, let look at ways to do a spring clean-up without further harm to the planet. The following are suggestions on ways to tidy your property without destroying the natural cycle of nature and biology.

Remove dead leaves

This may be the most obvious springtime chore since brown and dried leaves aren’t the prettiest but don’t be too hasty with your rake. Did you know that that curled up vegetation is the perfect little home for plenty of creatures and beneficial bugs? Pollinators such as ladybugs and butterflies like to overwinter in leaves so give them a chance to wake from their winter’s slumber. All manner of eggs and pupae can be found lurking in dead plants, shrubs and leaves. Go easy before cutting and discarding and wait till temperatures hit about 10 degrees Celsius.

Be smart about…everything 

Planning a new garden this year or hoping to add some turf where none existed before? Maybe you’re thinking of adding mood lighting in an effort to impart some extra ambiance to all of those outdoor barbecues you enjoy hosting? Or perhaps you’ve decided it’s time to chuck the old sprinkler in favour of a new-fangled device. There are smart choices you can make in all three scenarios. For your lawn and garden, try selecting low-maintenance plants and flowers. They use less water.  Your lighting should be LED or solar because they last longer and offer the most energy efficiency.  Invest in a smart timer that allows you to operate your sprinkler from anywhere. Smart timers automatically respond to weather conditions so no need to manually turn off your sprinkler when it rains.

Compost it 

Your waste is a beautiful thing to waste so stop throwing it away. Start composting. This allows you to recycle materials and kitchen scraps that would otherwise land in the landfill heap.  The list of acceptable materials is a pretty long one: grass clippings, coffee grounds, sawdust, newspaper and food scraps are just a few. Composting also lets you reduce soil erosion, increase the moisture in your soil and enhance nutrients in lawns and gardens.

Let it grow 

Keeping your grass a bit on the longer side is best for helping it withstand drought conditions during hot summer months. Another added benefit to this is roots grow deeper and lawns get thicker resulting in fewer pests, less disease and less need for chemical intervention.

Sources:  www.augustagreen.ca, www.angieslist.com, www.rd.com

Take a closer look in the corners and crevices of your home and you’re apt to see all manner of creepy crawly critters.

According to a CBC television report from July, 2018, the average Toronto house has 112 distinct insect species scurrying about it walls, basements and rafters. The Great Wild Indoors, which aired on the Nature of Things, chronicled a team of bug experts aka entomologists who explored a typical Toronto house in search of insects. What they found was pretty typical.

And even though Toronto homes are on par with their U.S. neighbours in terms of the quantity of critters, that doesn’t make enduring them any easier. Let’s take a look at some of the more offensive ones:

Bed bugs:

These small, oval creatures are flat and brown, though they turn a red-blood after feeding. They live inside electrical outlets, mattress seams, sofas and baseboards. Although bed-bug bites rarely result in serious medical concerns, their presence wreaks psychological havoc, causing anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation.

Because bed bugs transfer so easily be sure to inspect second-hand furniture that is coming into your home. Also use mattress covers on your mattress and box spring to eradicate their hiding spots.

Cockroaches:

These hated pests range in colour from light brown to almost black. These nocturnal insects sleep in crevices and cracks during the day and come out at night to search for food. They can be found anywhere in your home or in warm, damp areas. Cockroaches don’t bite or cause structural damage to your home, though they are known to spread disease.  To prevent cockroaches, keep dark and damp areas in your home clean, especially those close to food sources. Dispose of your garbage every day. Wash dishes immediately after use.

Termites:

Damage by these bugs is typically not covered by insurance. These secretive insects are difficult to identify, though often compared to ants. Often a homeowner only becomes aware of termites by seeing the damaged they’ve done. In spring, you may see small flying bugs, which leave discarded wings. Look for floors that sag and blister, unexplained cracks in walls, ceilings and cornices, sticking windows and doors and mud tubes outside your home.

You will never eliminate all bugs but you can help discourage them from finding a home in your house. Here are some general ways to deter pests:

• Keep your home free of clutter.
• Clean kitchens and bathrooms regularly. Pests are attracted to warm, damp places or places where food is available.
• Vacuum regularly under rugs and beneath furniture.
• After travelling, check luggage carefully for the spread of pests.
• Seal cracks and crevices with caulking and ensure that windows and doors are weather- proofed.
• Avoid picking up mattresses and furniture from uncertain sources as bugs might hitchhike on them.
• When receiving deliveries of furniture, check the packaging. For mattresses, ensure the mattress comes wrapped in plastic to avoid the spread of bedbugs from the transport truck to your home.
• Store foods in sealed plastic or glass containers in kitchens.

Sources: www.torontotenants.org, www.pestend.ca, www.pesthow.com