Landscaping and lifestyle design chat—3/5/2002
HGTV: Welcome to HGTV's hosted chat room. Susie Coelho, indoor/outdoor stylist, host of
Surprise Gardener and author of her first book
Everyday Styling, has joined us to answer your questions. Hello, Susie!
Susie Coelho: Hi, everyone.
Question: If you ever come to N.J., please consider my sister's backyard. We recently lost our mother, and she would like to do a memorial garden with many of our childhood memories, but isn't a gardener. She has some great ideas, but desperately needs your help. Thanks.
SC: I am sorry to hear that you lost your mom, I lost mine to a couple of years ago. A memorial garden sounds like a fantastic idea! I think you should focus the garden around a stone or a special item, and there should definitely be water in the garden. I am sorry that I will not be in the New Jersey area soon, however you can take at my book for ideas.
Q: I need help with our 1/2 acre. Just moved from southern Calif. to Woodland Park Colo. at 8500 feet. I used to have 150 roses in my garden. This place is full of dead grass. Can you help? The altitude doesn't promise a rose garden...
SC: I am not familiar with all of the plant material that will do well at that altitude. My suggestion would be to go to your local nursery as they are the most familiar with the plants that will do well in your altitude and soil conditions.
Q: Susie, when will you be hosting a show in Nashville?
SC: I don't have one planned at the moment, but I would love to come to Nashville.
Q: Susie , we live in a new subdivision with no trees and no privacy. How can we gain some privacy without spending a ton of money? Thanks.
SC: Without seeing your space, you can create privacy in many ways: fencing, plant material, hedges or trees can be used to add privacy.
Q: How do I get you to come to my garden?
SC: Right now, we shoot our shows in the southern California area since our crew and production office is here. But you never know..... Check hgtv.com for updates.
Q: Your rooftop design involved placing a candle over a vent pipe. I would urge caution in doing this because the vent pipe may vent gases from sewer system, which could be flammable. My wife and I enjoy your show very much.
SC: Good point, all of this was checked out by the designer before it was installed, but one should always keep safety in mind.
Q: Could you explain the difference in your approach to arranging and accessorizing a room and the way an interior designer would do it?
SC: When I think of interior decorating I think of it as something that is time consuming, expensive and serious. Everyday Styling (my new book) covers simple style ideas and encompasses how to find your own sense of person style as well as personalize your spaces.
Q: I have a very small yard that is about 23 feet from the back of the house to the back fence and 66 feet from side fence to the other side fence. We live in Texas and get the hot afternoon sun, so we need shade desperately. What kind of shade tree do you recommend?
SC: I wouldn't want to steer you wrong, since I don't live in Texas, and I am not familiar with the zone, but you can check with your local nursery or county extension office.
Q: What is your book about?
SC: It's called Everyday Styling easy tips for home, garden and entertaining. It helps the reader find their own sense of style through the use of a style file that they create. It also gives easy and inexpensive tips that anyone can do to style your indoor and outdoor areas.
Q: Hi, Susie. I need a suggestion for my outdoor patio -- can you help?
SC: Here are the elements you could use: furniture to create a seating area, table for outdoor entertaining, pots on the corners to section off the patio, possibly a water feature.
Q: Susie, will you ever do a winter-themed show?
SC: Yes, we've actually done some before. We've done northwestern garden full of conifers, and we also did a Christmas special. We don't have much snow in California, so it's hard to get into the winter spirit even though I love the snow.
Q: Susie -- I enjoyed meeting you at the Washington DC Home and Garden Show. You gave me a great idea about gathering my design ideas in a notebook.
SC: Nice meeting you as well. That's an idea that is also in the book if anybody else is interested.
Q: Hi Susie! I LOVE your show! One thing that is confusing, though, is when you switch between USDA zones and Sunset zones without saying which you're using. I've never found sunset zones useful, but always need to check the USDA zone, which are more useful.
SC: I agree, USDA zones are easier to use. I will pass this along this along to the producers.
Q: Would you like to come to the upper peninsula of Michigan? We're zone 4 and have a challenge in finding plants. I have a two-tiered back yard with no side access to the yard to haul dirt in . Any ideas?
SC: I personally wouldn't want to truck a lot of dirt through my house. What about bark?
Q: Hi, Susie! It was great to see you in DC, love the book -- Megan (my 14-yr.-old and I watch you all the time.
SC: Hey Kathy, great seeing you as well, and I had fun eating hard-shell crabs with you.
Q: I purchased an older home, and it's in need of landscaping any ideas on materials that will help me find the garden of my dreams?
SC: A garden can be divided into the following areas: outdoor entertaining area, kids area and relaxing area are three of the basics. I have lots of information on how to create the garden of your dreams in my book Everyday Styling.
Q: How are "surprised" homeowners picked for Surprise Gardener?
SC: Right now you have to be located in the southern Calif., but if in the future we are looking for other locations we will post it on hgtv.com.
Q: Susie, my problem is that my drive way is up against my outdoor patio. My driveway is large enough to do a three point turn with our vehicles. What can I do to provide a small privacy screen between the drive and patio?
SC: In my book Everyday Styling, I show how to create a garden right in the driveway. The tip includes sectioning off the driveway with a small picket fence and by doing this you create a patio. This is a tip that can be used to section off any patio area and is very easy to do.
Q: Susie, I am nine years old and live in New Jersey. My dad and I always watch your show Tuesday nights. We always have a bet whether you will be wearing an overall or not! . What are your favorite flowers, mine are lilacs
SC: Ooooooh, I Iove lilacs. My favorite flowers are orchids. I am so thrilled that you enjoy the show. Generally I always wear overalls (at least in my newer shows.)
Q: Susie -- My husband and I just bought a house and have a large yard to work with. With so much to do, where do you suggest we start? And is your book available at regular bookstores?
SC: My book Everyday Styling is available at all bookstores and I'd love for you to check it out. Or you may check online at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. Figuring out where to start is the common problem homeowners face. I have tried to narrow the choices in my new book Everyday Styling by helping readers create a style file. This way the task is not as daunting.
Q: Susie, did you date Sonny Bono?
SC: Yes, in fact, I was once married to him.
Q: I'm in upstate N.Y., and I'm looking for a fast-growing flowering vine to train on an arbor. I'm interested in perennials, but will plant annuals until the perennial is mature enough to cover the arbor. The arbor will be big enough to shade a table and six chairs.
SC: Some vines that are beautiful over arbors are: Wisteria, grapes, bougainvillea (better in warmer climates) and mandevillia (also better in warmer climates). Check with your local nursery to see which vine is best for your zone.
Q: How often do you change the look of your home? Are there some rooms that inspire change more often that others? If so, how?
SC: Good question, I am constantly changing my home, specifically the living room, kitchen and outdoor areas. I love change both seasonally or just because I am in the mood, that's what my book Everyday Styling is all about-easy ways to update and style your spaces.
HGTV: That brings us to the end of tonight's chat hour. Thank you, everyone, for joining us. And thank you, Susie, for answering our questions.
Susie Coelho: You're very welcome.
