PAGE 4 • HERMISTON HERALD/EAST OREGONIAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016
SPRING HOME & GARDEN
Spring
cultivates
garden fun
By TAMMY MALGESINI
Community Editor
Whether it’s a do-it-yourself project or
you’re bringing someone in to help spruce
up the scenery, this is the time of year to
prepare garden spots.
For Audney Cosand, gardening has been
a big part of her life for as long as she can
remember. Growing up in Alaska, her fami-
ly lived off the land and gardening played a
major role in that.
Cosand has been busy cutting back
shrubs, putting in initial time-release fertil-
izer around perennials, spreading compost
and moving things that need a new location.
In addition, she said it’s time to start think-
ing about annuals ² ¿guring out where to
put them and prepare for planting in Mid-
April through May.
The Hermiston woman became more in-
terested in the landscape part of gardening
several decades ago. Since then, she has
turned her yard into a park-like oasis. Last
year, it was one of the featured gardens on
the P.E.O. Hermiston Garden Tour.
“I spend quite a bit of time because I like
to garden,” she said. “I’m out there diddling
around every day for a couple of hours.”
Kim and Brian La Plant of OzarkHip-
pie Upcycling Design and Creations were
recently tending to raised garden boxes in
front of the Hermiston Herald/East Orego-
nian of¿ce. The couple uses their creative
ideas and personal manpower to work on
other people’s projects.
They specialize in re-purposing mate-
rials, including wood and rocks. With the
project at the Herald building, Kim is focus-
ing on Àowers and plants that don’t require
as much water. She especially enjoys creat-
ing rock gardens for people.
“I just go to their house and they tell me
what kind of colors they want and I put a
rock garden along their fence line,” La Plant
said.
They often are given general directions
and then their creative powers take over.
Due to health issues, the La Plants stick to
smaller jobs.
Both Cosand and La Plant talk about the
therapeutic bene¿t of digging in the dirt and
being creative.
“It’s just a lot of fun, especially being out
in the weather,” La Plant said. “And, you
can make something beautiful for others to
enjoy.”
STAFF PHOTO BY TAMMY MALGESINI
A simple lawn area with a single tree was transformed into an inviting park-like setting at the Hermiston home of Audney Cosand and Dave
Hutchinson. It was one of the featured stops during the 2015 P.E.O. Hermiston Garden Tour.
STAFF PHOTO BY TAMMY MALGESINI
Kim La Plant of OzarkHippie Upcycling Design and Creations applies stain to wood while working on the raised garden boxes at the
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