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Condo Smarts: Hold on to pet-bylaw papers at time of purchase for future reference

Condo Smarts: Hold on to pet-bylaw papers at time of purchase for future reference

Dear Tony: How can we determine if a condo development permits dogs and cats or not? We have been looking at condos with our agent for the past six weeks and have encountered pets in many buildings but have discovered it is confusing to confirm wheth
Helen Chesnut’s Garden Notes: Oh, the satisfaction of a freshly weeded veggie plot

Helen Chesnut’s Garden Notes: Oh, the satisfaction of a freshly weeded veggie plot

As I set up a three-metre length of sturdy fencing for the tomatoes earlier in the month, I could not avoid the adjacent planting of carrots and beets. The young seedlings were developing nicely. So were an abundance of small weeds.
Helen Chesnut's Garden Notes: Mulch in late spring, early summer to retain moisture in soil

Helen Chesnut's Garden Notes: Mulch in late spring, early summer to retain moisture in soil

Dear Helen: I am confused by the concept of mulching. When should I apply it? How much? What types are best? How are ground covers mulched? Will a mulch smother them if applied on top? T.D.
House Beautiful: Globe-trotting couple settle down in their character renovated retirement home

House Beautiful: Globe-trotting couple settle down in their character renovated retirement home

Although they have lived in many places around the world, from Indonesia to Korea to Czechoslovakia, when it came time to retire, Lisa Rogers and husband Hazen Gauthier knew the only place they wanted to be was Victoria.
Helen Chesnut’s Garden Notes: Coffee grounds a great addition to compost heaps

Helen Chesnut’s Garden Notes: Coffee grounds a great addition to compost heaps

Dear Helen: Can coffee grounds be used safely in the garden? I’ve been told they are too acidic and should not be put in the compost. R.S.
Condo Smarts: Alteration-approval bylaw may be updated by the strata corporation

Condo Smarts: Alteration-approval bylaw may be updated by the strata corporation

Dear Tony: What are the limitations that we can impose on an owner who is wanting to undertake alterations to their strata lot? We have an owner who has purchased a penthouse unit and has submitted a request to renovate the space, including the remov
Helen Chesnut's Garden Notes: Gardeners rejoice as fresh green shoots emerge in veggie plots

Helen Chesnut's Garden Notes: Gardeners rejoice as fresh green shoots emerge in veggie plots

Gardeners continue to voice a sense of jubilation this spring. Here’s an email that came in on the morning of my writing this: “The rain was great. My seeds are germinating. Yahoo! I’m finding my garden so exciting this year — Lots of fun.
Helen Chesnut’s Garden Notes: Plant a May-flowering tree or shrub for Mother's Day

Helen Chesnut’s Garden Notes: Plant a May-flowering tree or shrub for Mother's Day

Who would ever have thought we’d be in the middle of a second spring, and spending a second Mother’s Day weekend, amid significant restrictions made necessary by a pandemic? What to do? How to mitigate the sadness of isolation and lift the spirits of
Condo Smarts: Quorum bylaw could determine what happens if owners leave meeting

Condo Smarts: Quorum bylaw could determine what happens if owners leave meeting

Dear Tony: At a recent general meeting, our strata had a lengthy dispute over how quorum was calculated and whether we could continue our meeting near the end, as more than half the registrants had left the meeting and, including proxies, we were wel
House Beautiful: Steep challenge yields mountain view

House Beautiful: Steep challenge yields mountain view

Sometimes the most difficult lot can lead to special features that make a house unique. This was certainly the case for a modern, three-level, 2,700-square-foot home recently built by homeowners Elizabeth and Cole Skelly and designed by Zebra Group.