Summer is in full swing in Minnesota. That means the news is filled with stories about our lakes, our parks, and our farmers markets. of course, all of those are topics we love to cover in Greening Minnesota.
Earlier this month, Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of the famous late ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, visited Powderhorn Park on July 4 to promote an effort called Expedition: Blue Planet and to film a segment for it. Minneapolis was the first stop for the project’s film crew and biodiesel bus on its 14,500-mile tour across North America to investigate water issues and educate the public about water conservation. Some local organizations were there to help, too, like Blue Thumb, a clean-water program started by Rice Creek Watershed District that now has many chapters in Minnesota, and Metro Blooms, whose mission is to promote eco-friendly gardening that beautifies neighborhoods and protects the environment.
To help people recycle more when they're not at home,...
There are two great flower shows coming up to help get you into the mood for spring!
Starting Saturday, the Spring Flower Show at Como's Marjorie McNeely Conservatory will be abloom in the Sunken Garden with more tulips than would probably ever fit in your back yard. There will also be a few thousand daffodils and hyacinths, accented with snapdragons, irises, ranunculus, hydrangeas, freesias and lilies. If the sight and smell of all those flowers isn't enough to pique your interest, there also will be gardener talks, family activities such as storytelling, games and take-home crafts as part of the opening of the show this Saturday and Sunday, known as the Spring Fling. The Spring Flower Show is free and open to the public from March 27 throug May 2. For more information, visit www.comozooconservatory.org.
Additionally, Macy's is again teaming up with Bachman's to put on a flower show that has become a rite of spring. Starting Sunday, "Spring is in the Air" will...
The dreaded emerald ash borer has been discovered in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Agriculture Department confirmed the infestation of four trees at Tower Hill Park, not far from known infestations in St. Paul and Falcon Heights. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will cut down the trees before spring and intensify efforts to find other diseased trees.
This is not an unexpected turn of events. With the discovery of the green beetles last spring in St. Paul and later in Falcon Heights, officials are trying to slow the spread. A widespread and expensive infestation could threaten the state's 940 million ash trees.
Last year, 82 diseased trees were found and removed in the South St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul and one tree in Falcon Heights. Earlier this year, crews in St. Paul began cutting down 355 nondiseased boulevard ash trees in other parts of the city as part of a broader strategy to slow the spread of the beetle. The Como Park neighborhood is experimenting by...
New posted listings for homes in St. Paul, Minnesota, decreased in February according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. Throughout the month, there were 480 new listings in Saint Paul, compared to the 602 homes put up on the market during February 2008. That is a decrease of -20.3%. Comparatively, there were 548 new listings in January 2009. The Merriam Park and West 7th saw increases in posted new listings, while the other St. Paul neighborhoods saw their listings decrease. Here is a breakdown of new listings by Saint Paul neighborhood:
Como 27 (-25.0%)
Crocus Hill 32 (-31.9%)
Downtown Saint Paul 34 (-41.4%)
East Side 111 (-3.5%)
Highland Park 35 (-16.7%)
Mac-Groveland 22 (-15.4%)
Merriam Park 14 (+27.3%)
North End/Frogtown 65 (-4.4%)
Phalen 60 (-33.3%)
Southeast 20 (-20.0%)
St. Anthony/Midway 15 (-54.5%)
...
The first St. Paul real estate market analysis for the year of 2009! New posted listings for homes in St. Paul, Minnesota, decreased in January according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. During the month, there were 548 new listings in Saint Paul, compared to the 562 homes put up on the market during January 2008. That is a decrease of just -2.5%. It was a mixed bag when the posted new listings are broken out by neighborhood, as some big increases while others saw decreases. Here is a breakdown of new listings by Saint Paul neighborhood:
Como 29 (-14.7%)
Crocus Hill 38 (-29.6%)
Downtown Saint Paul 32 (-45.8%)
East Side 138 (+26.6%)
Highland Park 36 (+9.1%)
Mac-Groveland 24 (-27.3%)
Merriam Park 14 (+16.7%)
North End/Frogtown 64 (-13.5%)
Phalen 84 (+16.7%)
Southeast 11 (-21.4%)
St. Anthony/Midway 27 (+3.8%)
...
First, it’s almost Valentine’s Day! Celebrate love and romance amongst the flowers and animals at the Woo at the Zoo at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in Saint Paul. It starts the 13 and runs through February 16. You can learn about the origins of chocolate, the meanings of flowers, and how the animals ‘woo’ one another. This four-day event, with activities stations and make and take crafts, offers something for all ages.
Next, when it is Valentine’s Day, what are your plans? Candlelit trails, bonfires, sleigh rides, romantic music and snowshoeing under the stars have made Valentine's Day a popular event at five locations in the Three Rivers Park District. Only the Park District's largest program, at Richardson Nature ...
The last St. Paul real estate market analysis for the year of 2008. Let’s get it done! New posted listings for homes in St. Paul, Minnesota, increased in December according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. During December, there were 399 new listings in St. Paul, compared to the 351 homes put up on the market during the same month of 2007. That is an increase of about +13.7%. Unlike November, lots of neighborhoods saw increases in new listings. The increase in new listings is a little unusual, given that December is so full of holidays. Here is a breakdown of new listings by Saint Paul neighborhood: (Barker & Hedges blog entry about November 2008 St. Paul Real Estate Market Activity.)
Como 13 (+18.2%)
Crocus Hill 23 (+4.5%)
Downtown Saint Paul 17 (+21.4%)
East Side 104 (+25.3%)
Highland Park 16 (-5.9%)
Mac-Groveland...
The Southwest Community of Minneapolis consists of several neighborhoods loosely bordered on the north by 36th Street and on the east by Interstate 35W, with city limits serving as western and southern boundaries.
Linden Hills – In the northwest corner of Southwest Minneapolis is the upscale, well-developed Linden Hills neighborhood. Linden Hills is bound on the north by 36th Street West and Lake Calhoun, on the east by William Berry Drive and Lake Harriet, on the south by 47th Street West, and on the west by France Avenue. Linden Hills is one of the larger neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The neighborhood was named after the linden trees and rolling hills that can be found in the area.
Linden Hills first was developed during the 1880s to lure homebuyers into leave downtown for homes on Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet. Since that time, most of the original cottages have been replaced by a number of home types, like ramblers,...
I don’t know about you, but I’m finding it hard to adjust back to “work mode” following this middle-of-the-week Christmas. Depending on if you celebrate Kwanzaa or Hanukkah, you could very well still be celebrating! Thanksgiving, with its long hours of cooking and even longer hours with extended family, was just one month ago. Add in all of the preparation craziness that happens between these two holidays (and even more family time), and I’m sure I’m not alone in being just a little tired of celebrating, but not quite ready to face the “real world.” It is nice to know that there is at least one more excuse we can give ourselves for not having our heads entirely in the game: New Year’s Eve!
My friends have somewhat of a New Year’s tradition of gathering at a home, bringing lots of tasty finger-foods and “pot luck”...
