Manito Moves Into Second Renovation Phase

The second phase of the renovation of Duncan Gardens at Manito Park begins Aug. 13. The work involves removal of the existing flower beds and turf, so the garden will be closed to public use until this stage of renovation is completed. The new urns, pedestals, benches and a reflective pool are already in place.

On the tube: The folks at Home & Garden TV will bring you two new half-hour gardening shows next week during prime time.

A show that features the gardens of New Zealand, “Gardening Down Under,” debuts Monday; a program designed for the weekend gardener, ” Gardening By The Yard,” debuts Tuesday.

Kiddie-style decor: The people at Georgia-Pacific have designed three new decorating plans for kid rooms around the themes of the circus, dinosaurs and lighthouses.

The plans include directions, wood patterns and product lists for headboards, mouldings and sponge painting.

The plans are free; just call (800) BUILD-GP.

Looking ahead: Not all seed catalogs arrive in the depths of winter. The fall White Flower Farm Garden Book is now available and includes 500 listings for plants ranging from bulbs to oriental poppies. Most of the plants in the catalog should be planted in the fall in this climate. For a copy: (800) 503-9624.

Paths of color: It’s easy to create brick- and cobblestone-style paths now with the use of a form and some concrete mix. The forms are available at most home centers and at home shows. Now, however, you can add color to the concrete to create four colors - red, brown, buff and charcoal.

The concrete color comes in a bottle for about $4 and will color two 80-pound bags of concrete, mortar or sand mix.

For information: (800) 282-5828. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo