Home & Garden

Everything's coming up roses at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, just concluded at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

There was a little problem when I turned on my inground sprinkler system in mid-April. One of the seven zones in the system had a bad valve.

For many people, Memorial Day means barbecues and a trip to the beach. For Beth Long of Muttontown, it means remembering her father, who served in World War II.

Helps gardeners match plants to conditions.

GNOME NO MORE. With its classic Nautilus shape, this sculptural garden ornament can stand alone or show off plants in its ample cavity. Cast in solid resin with a limestone finish 20 inches high, it will weather in time to rival its vintage inspiration. $975 at Bravura, 22 Nugent St., Southampton, 631-259- 2605 or bravurastyle.com.

2007 DESIGNER SHOWCASE. More than 40 interior decorators have transformed William Marshall Field III's 1922 estate at Caumsett State Historic Park in Lloyd Neck into a designers' showcase. Take a tour from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and tomorrow or from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $30; $27 for seniors, $25 for groups of 20 or more purchased in advance. The event runs through June 10. Call 631-547-7054 or 516-671-1313 for details.

How one family transformed its Terryville property into 'a lifestyle thing.'

The more you listen to Rick Wertheim, the more you realize his concepts on building and remodeling really aren't anything new. They're just a lot better.

Step onto Debbie Van Bourgondien's two-acre Babylon lot and you'll wonder if you took a wrong turn and ended up in Holland.

Lynn Ratner's in a New York state of mind, especially when she's gazing at the 3-D artwork, "The World Loves NYC" by Charles Fazzino, that hangs on the dining room wall in her Merrick home.

For charity. Shop for new furniture, housewares and artwork - at up to 70 % off retail - at the third annual Design on a Dime home event, sponsored by Real Simple magazine. Room vignettes by 17 interior designers, including Thom Filicia and Bunny Williams, will provide inspiration, and proceeds will benefit the AIDS service organization Housing Works. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 135 West 18th Street. Visit housingworks .org/dime for details.

Join HGTV's "Gardening by the Yard" host, Paul James, as he talks about the design and maintenance of a water garden and shows what's available - from a simple bubbler to a large-scale waterfall and fountain - at noon Saturday.

"Decorative Arts: Style and Design From Classical to Contemporary" (DK, $50): Design guru Judith Miller takes readers on an informed and beautifully illustrated tour, starting with Egyptian bronze and proceeding through to metalware and lighting in contemporary times. This is a brilliant, packed look on almost any design element from any civilization, and will be useful as a teaching tool or simply a beautiful conversation piece.

Nassau Community College interior design students tackle their best job yet - redecorating a home for young families in need.

The cost of energy keeps rising. Some of us notice. It gets harder and harder for homeowners on fixed incomes to pay utility bills. Some of us notice.

I have several fruit trees in my yard that I planted six years ago. I trim, fertilize and spray, but no fruit. Any suggestions?

Growing up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn during those decades, Stuart Koenig is still nostalgic for the Dodgers, Bogey and "The Blob."

TITLE: "1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die"

Americans build about 40,000 modular homes a year. Imagine if new home buyers and builders realized all the advantages of building a home in a factory setting.

"Survivor" host Jeff Probst will appear at Herald Square to help launch the Home Depot and MasterCard $100,000 Backyard Retreat Sweepstakes.

At 10 a.m. today, join Fine Living TV Network's "Breathing Room" for a tour of the two-acre country retreat of actor Dennis Franz of "NYPD Blue" fame and his wife, Joanie, in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Long Island interior decorators rescue local families who don't know what to do with their open space.

What to do when cold air comes out of all the light fixture openings.

The art of growing Montauk daisies and planting tomato seedlings.

WAY TO GROW. It's spring gardening weekend at Old Westbury Gardens.

Gary Dymski rounds up new seasonal products.

Check out DIY Network's "Bob Vila's Home Again" and tour the completed renovation of a Manhattan brownstone apartment. From the huge historic windows to the gleaming ash floors, the restoration pays tribute to the history of the building and neighborhood at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. tomorrow and midnight Saturday.

A guide to the five most popular driveways.

I have wild onions coming up through my lawn and flower beds. Besides moving, what can I do?

At 93, this mother, grandmother and longtime Great Neck resident spends hours in her at-home studio.

Terri Frankenberg of East Meadow had vague memories of the prayer shawl her father used during religious services.

FIESTA FUN. These fun and whimsical glasses are designed by Humphrey, N.Y., artist Bette Hestle and hand-painted by four stay-at-home mothers and one high-school student who's saving for college. The Fiesta Fun collection is available in green and pink, purple and green, and turquoise and pink. $24.50 at Originals, 582 Westbury Ave., Carle Place, 516-333-9410.

Meet the Long Island Orchid Society.

"The One-Minute Cleaner: Plain & Simple: 500 Tips for Cleaning Smarter, Not Harder," Storey, $10.95: Author Donna Smallin shows us how to get the house shipshape, from the obvious - vacuum your rugs once a week - to the lesser-known - how to remove mold. Whether you're tackling cleaning for the first time or you've been doing it for years, there's a tip in this well-organized book for you.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN. From 7 to 8:30 tonight, the Smithtown Library in Nesconset will show a free slide presentation on basic landscape design. To register, call 631-265-3994.

Watch a Long Island makeover on "Real Simple" at 2:30 p.m. today on WLIW/21 and at 3p.m. Saturday on WNET/13, with the reorganization of Rockville Centre resident Gloria Romanowski's custom-built desk in her kitchen.

This year's Mansions & Millionaires event at Caumsett is about clean, contemporary design.

Taking care of your gas-powered small-engine yard and lawn equipment.

Our flowering purple plum trees are about 10 years old and for the past four years they developed scale.

Bill Margiotta must have wished upon a star for all the Pinocchio collectibles he could get his hands on.

"The Organic Lawn Care Manual: A Natural, Low-Maintenance System for a Beautiful, Safe Lawn," by Paul Tukey (Storey, $19.95): This comprehensive lawn-care manual is written in an easy-to-read narrative style and provides much-needed information for going organic. While the author warns that a lawn's appearance might suffer at first, he promises beautiful grass will be achieved over time. Tukey advocates the sound practice of caring for the soil first, maintaining that healthy soil makes for healthy grass. And he shows lots of ways this can be done without the use of chemicals. Truly a great read and a great resource.

HEALING GARDENS. At 7:30 tonight, the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington will screen "The Healing Gardens of NY," a film by Alexandra Isles that tells the stories of lives and communities transformed by the creation of gardens and green spaces in response to crime, neglect, poverty and urban decay. The filmmaker and gardeners from the film will be on hand for a reception, panel discussion and book-signing after the screening. Nonmembers, $12. Call 631-423-7611 for reservations.

A SUNDANCE CATALOG. Robert Redford, the Sundance Kid who launched the Sundance Channel as well as a film festival by the same name, also sells home goods through his Sundance Catalog, like this set of two Toltec bookends crafted of recycled railroad ties. $55 at sundancecatalog .com or by calling 800-422-2770.

The artistry and beauty of the unexpected in design, furniture, lighting and food.