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Page 18 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com September 25, 2009
Simply Amazing
Everything we sell we support.
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1520C Kirker Pass Road
Clayton Station (Safeway)
If a new computer is in your
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Voted better
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925-672-9989 BEAR License E-77986 E-81057
Trust your home to
GEORGE VUJNOVICH, Broker
Helping friends, neighbors and newcomers
buy and sell their homes since 1979
CLAYTON!
Peacock Creek at
Oakhurst Country Club!
Sensational Single Story
“Bainbridge” model! 4 bedrooms,
plus a den, 3 full baths, approx.
3,030sf, 2 fireplaces & a 3 car
garage! From the stately upgraded
beveled glass double front doors to
the professionally landscaped grounds you will be impressed by the attention to detail and meticulousness of
this home. Gourmet kitchen boasts all stainless steel appliances, Euro style cabinets, bull-nosed slab granite
counters and a custom extended island with built-in dinette. Spacious family room features a fireplace, custom
built-in slab granite dry bar, built-in speakers & French doors leading to separate patio areas. An upgraded
fireplace flanked by two large windows is the focal point of the elegant dining and living rooms featuring
crown moulding and an elaborate chandelier. Enormous master suite features a double door entry and a
French door to rear yard. Master bath offers upgraded tile floors, oversized soaking tub and separate stall
shower & a huge walk-in closet with extensive organizer system. Fabulous large lot has been professionally
landscaped with lush lawn areas, custom pergola topped stained concrete patios for multiple entertaining
areas, a beautiful blend of various ornamentals, colorful flowers & maturing trees add to the relaxed and private
atmosphere. $785,000
CLAYTON!
Oak Hollow at Oakhurst Country Club! Prime golf Course
Lot backs to 4th fairway! 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, approx. 1,911sf, inside
laundry & 2 car attached garage! Gleaming hardwood floors in living &
dining rooms. Family room with marble tile floors and fireplace! Kitchen
offers tile counters & island with cozy eating nook. Spacious master overlooks
golf course & oak dotted hills. Patio features exposed aggregate and brick in-lay. $465,000
Windmill Canyon at Oakhurst Country Club! Tucked
away in a private quiet setting in a cul-de-sac! 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths,
approx. 2,313sf, fireplace & 2 car garage! Upgraded baths boast slab granite
counters, tile floors, lighting and hardware. Other upgrades include:
laminate flooring, designer paint, wood & pleated blinds. Gourmet kitchen
features upgraded stainless steel appliances. Private yard with custom Trex
deck with trellis, lighting and wired for cable. Nice lawn area and lots of colorful flowers! $579,000
PENDING PENDING
CLAYTON!
Local gardeners share
fascination with dahlias
Clayton Valley Garden Club
members Marcia and Barry
Hart are absolutely infatuated
with dahlias. Their home is a
growing homage to the plants
they adore, with both the front
and back yard bursting with
orange, pink, white, red and
yellow dahlias.
About four years ago, the
Harts were biking through
Golden Gate Park in San
Francisco during September.
While riding past the
Conservatory of Flowers, they
found themselves in Dahlia
Dell. Marcia and Barry fell in
love with these impressive,
magnificent floras.
Their excitement for these
blossoms caught the attention
of Deborah, an associate at the
conservatory. She asked the
couple if they would like to
join the Dahlia Society of
California, for a membership
fee of only $10. This club was
organized in 1917. The offer
was a good one, and the Harts
signed up.
Being a part of the Dahlia
Society, based in San Francisco,
opened their eyes to how simple
it would be to achieve such
extraordinary blooms. They
were told that anyone with the
ability to grow a tomato can
grow a dahlia. They began
planning their own dahlia beds.
The dahlia bug had bitten these
two plant lovers, and their
whole lives were about to be
infected with beauty.
A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Anyone who is a part of a
club knows that you have to
volunteer your time for the
benefit of the club. Marcia and
Barry’s first experience with the
club was with digging out the
dahlia tubers. These awesome
plants grow from tubers that
resemble dirty bananas. During
the last days of fall, dahlias aficionados
cut down dry stems
and remove the tubers from the
soil. This is to prevent tuber
rot, caused by saturated soil in
the rainy months.
MARCIA HART at the San
Leandro Dahlia Show.
Each tuber is marked in ink
pencil with the name of the
tuber and coding that tells the
form, size and color of the
dahlia. This was a big job, and
Marcia and Barry learned a lot
that day. The hands-on experience
was instrumental in the
understanding of the end of
the season of the dahlia.
The separated tubers are
marked and stored through the
winter in peat moss. The divisions
are sold in April at the
Dahlia Society’s Tuber Sale.
Marcia and Barry returned
to the sale in April. They
bought, they planted and they
achieved success with their
installations – lots of success.
One by one, the Harts added
dahlias through tuber sales and
exchanges. That ride through
Golden Gate Park turned into
an addiction, and what started
out as a few dahlias turned into
about 80 dahlia plants today,
with as many as 92 at one time.
STUNNING SHOWCASE
Marcia grows mostly the
moderately sized B class
dahlias, with blooms 6-8 inches
in diameter or larger. Jim
Dandy, a bi-color, and Aitara
Caress, a light blend, do excellent
in the Harts full-sun front
yard. Rolf is a perfect golden
yellow, streaked with a red variegation.
This semi-cactus stunner
is proud to be grown in our
hot climate.
Bode is an incurved, cactusshaped
lavender dahlia. Magic
Moment has the honor of
being the Harts’ first dahlia.
The white, semi-cactus shaped
bloom stands out on summer
evenings.
With all the success of the
dahlias and some encouragement
from the Dahlia Society,
Marcia decided to take her pas-
georgevujnovich.com Tel: (925) 672-4433
Each Office Is Independently
Owned & Operated.
6160 Center Street, Suite E, Clayton 94517
CLAYTON!
Falcon Ridge at Oakhurst
Country Club! Superb Single
Story “Moonlight” model backs to
oak dotted open space! 4 bedrooms,
2 baths, approx. 2,237sf, fireplace &
3 car garage! Upgraded travertine
tile floors, neutral carpet & décor!
Gourmet kitchen features granite tile
counters, island & maple cabinets. Spacious master suite looks out to open space/hill. Large lot offers a
custom patio, lawn area & an assortment of ornamentals. $619,000
Clayton Market Update provided by
George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL
sion to another level and began
entering dahlia shows. Now,
Marcia is collecting blue ribbons
at almost every event. In
the front yard garden alone, 19
blue ribbons hang above the
winning dahlia. Marcia has
received ribbons in the novice
category and placed at the amateur
table. Her novelty dahlia
Hollyhill Spiderwoman has also
placed at the open table.
The Harts have been able to
maintain this award-winning
garden even with the current
water restrictions. Drip system
irrigation is used, along with
mulch. In some very dry areas,
newspaper is spread.
Marcia adds water-soluble
fertilizer about every four
weeks and will disbud her
plants regularly. Disbudding is
the removal of buds to
encourage larger, more dramatic
blooms. The plant’s
energy is focused on a handful
of magnificent blooms, rather
than many smaller, crammed
flowers.
Marcia and Barry’s dahlias
are enjoyed all summer long.
They admire every bloom and
share them with friends and
neighbors.
Nicole is the Garden Girl at
R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and
Garden Contact her with questions,
comments or suggestions at
gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com
ADDRESS PRICE SALE DATE SF BED/BATH
179 Mt. Vernon Dr $505,000 9/2/09 1740 4/2
1519 N. Mitchell Canyon Rd $433,000 9/1/09 1831 4/2.5
1349 Shell Lane $427,500 8/28/09 1709 3/3
139 El Portal Pl $640,000 8/26/09 2420 4/2.5
312 Mount Sierra Pl $498,000 8/19/09 2261 4/2.5
260 Mountaire Parkway $612,000 8/14/09 2694 5/2.5
953 Tiffin Dr $550,000 8/12/09 1878 4/2
6022 Mitchell Creek Pl $647,000 8/8/09 2200 4/2.5
93 El Portal Place $695,000 8/7/09 2427 3/2.5
106 La Encinal Ct $630,000 8/5/09 2390 4/2.5
3087 Windmill Canyon Dr $600,000 8/4/09 2532 5/2.5
252 Stranahan Circle $425,000 8/4/09 1663 3/2.5
6008 High Street $605,000 7/31/09 2148 4/2.5
400 Chupcan Pl $437,500 7/31/09 1749 3/2.5
5205 Keller Ridge Drive $785,000 7/28/09 3079 5/3
705 Condor Place $270,600 7/24/09 1026 2/2
5593 Coronado Court $440,000 7/24/09 1646 4/2
145 Widmar Pl $595,000 7/24/09 2810 4/2.5
30 Mount Hamilton Ct $570,000 7/22/09 2141 4/2.5
Better Homes DRE#00933393