NEW PRODUCTS

These are not your father’s tiki carts

New from Totally Bamboo comes a line of green bamboo kitchen carts, bar cart and workstation.

“These carts are not made from bamboo tubes, but high-quality, thin layers of laminated bamboo pressed together to form planks similar to the new flooring that has been all the rage for the last few years,” said Tom Sullivan, president of Totally Bamboo.

The carts are available with a patented, 100-percent bamboo multilam inner core that is made from hundreds of bamboo pieces laminated together in an exclusive parquet pattern. The workstation is offered in a vertical grain pattern.

The carts are 36 inches high, with surfaces ranging from 24 inches to 60 inches. The workstation offers a 25-inch-by-60-inch free-standing work area.

The selection includes:

* A professional food prep cart with a 4-inch-thick solid bamboo top with two pullout bamboo cutting boards hidden in the butcher block top.

* A versatile kitchen cart with a storage cabinet, a pullout bamboo cutting board and a utility drawer.

* A bar cart with a wine and liquor cabinet that holds up to 12 wine bottles and 12 pieces of stemware. It also has a pullout bamboo cutting board along with a large drawer, four side shelves and solid, stainless steel towel rails.

* The workstation, known as the Big Island, has adjustable, heavy-duty feet. It is 25  1/2 inches deep, 60 inches long, and is 5 inches thick. It can be used as a kitchen island or placed against a wall as a workstation.

All, except the Big Island, have sturdy wheels that allow them to be rolled from room to room. Once in place, simply lock the wheels for stability.

The Totally Bamboo carts range in price from $850 to $1,500.

For more information, visit www.totallybamboo.com.

GARDEN

Accessories with a French connection

It’s time to bring the beauty of the 18th century French garden architecture into America. Both inside and out.

Long ago, it was fashionable during the reigns of French kings to grow formal gardens.

The problem?

“It would take years before the king’s hedges and topiaries would grow to full maturity,” said Philippe Le Manach, creator of Accents of France, a decorative trellis and accessory company.

“In the meantime, royal landscape architects would rely on treillage to appease their impatient clients,” he said.

Le Manach spent time in France visiting historic properties and formal gardens, taking notes of what he believed were the most interesting treillage patterns and motifs. However, even though American gardeners had the same needs, he seldom saw trelliswork, or treillage, used in the States.

Placed at the back of a yard, a treillage display is an easy way to create a focal point, while providing a decorative form for climbing roses or trailing ivy.

Accents of France also features a line of accessory items designed to complement the displays, such as planters and jardiniere boxes. Aside from outdoor spaces, Le Manach also designs indoor spaces.

White or hunter green are the color options for the standard line, however, Le Manach enjoys custom projects, as well.

“Many times a designer or landscape architect will come to me with an awkward space or an ugly wall they need to mask,” he said. “With my custom projects, I can provide my clients with to-scale drawings of what their space could look like.”

The company also offers a full range of designs that collapse, making them UPS and FedEx shippable.

For more information, call 323-653-4006 or visit www.accents-of-france.com.

— Copley News Service

PETS

Shush your barking dog in its tracks

Are you experiencing sleepless nights from your neighbor’s barking dog? Or maybe you’re receiving embarrassing calls about your own dog’s barking? Don’t call the moving company just yet.

Designed to silence outdoor barking, the PetSafe Outdoor Bark Control system stops noisemakers in their tracks.

There are no collars to buy or unattractive equipment to put in your back yard. You simply hang the decorative, weatherproof unit, shaped like a birdhouse, on a tree, wall or fence post and let the internal microphone teach your dog to stop barking.

When the PetSafe Outdoor Bark Control is within range of constant barking, an internal microphone picks up the sound. The unit then emits an unpleasant but non-harmful, high-pitch ultrasonic sound. The ultrasonic sound can only be heard by the dog (not humans). Startled by the high-pitched sound, the dog should stop barking, as it will associate its bark with this unpleasant noise.

The PetSafe Outdoor Bark Control should be placed facing the dog and within range of the dog. The unit is designed for hanging, or it can stand alone, and should be positioned at a height of no more than 5 feet.

Other features include a decorative, durable and weatherproof design for use in any yard. The Bark Control will detect barking up to 50 feet away, and features four levels of operation. The unit contains two color LED lights for good/low battery indication. A required 9-volt battery is not included.

Each unit contains a lifetime, limited warranty, and is safe and effective for all sizes and breeds of dogs.

The device retails for $49.99, and is available at Petco and PetSmart, or online at www.petsafe.net.