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New mower blades cut to the chase
Do your lawn a favor by replacing the blade or blades on your rotary mower before the turf stirs in a week or two. A sharp blade makes clean cuts on fast-growing spring grass. Make a note of the configuration of the old blade before removing it, and note the sequence of washers. Socket wrenches make quick work of the job, but wear sturdy gloves when handling the blades. Tighten nuts to the manufacturer’s specifications. Test the mower to make sure the blade is centered.
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Visualize the perfect garden
You don’t so much read “1000 Garden Ideas,” ($35, Artisan) as absorb it. Design consultant and art director Stafford Cliff refers to his book as a visual sourcebook. It’s a compilation of Cliff’s photos of plants and garden elements — some in almost dizzying combinations — that’s meant to be pored over and savored, referred to and enjoyed. In his introduction to each chapter Cliff educates his readers or challenges them to think critically about a particular part of the garden. Even a subject as simple as outdoor seating becomes a study of form and color in his photo collages.
Denver Post wire services
