Spring is a beautiful time in Garden Valley! If you have taken a drive around the area, it is likely you have seen a variety of colorful flowers in bloom! Here are a few varieties you may see in the area.

Western white trillium is a staple in Boise County mountains. Some refer to this flower as a ‘wake-robin’ because they are among the first wildflowers to emerge each spring. They prefer moist, shady areas. Sometimes you will see them with petals that are pink or even purple. This means the flower is older! The rhizome of a trillium is slow-growing and takes a long time to spread, but this amazing plant can live for up to 25 years!

The syringa is the state flower of Idaho, and we are fortunate to have them growing along the South Fork of the Payette River in abundance! They smell wonderful and are elegant and beautiful to boot! In fact, the syringa is sometimes called a mock orange because the aromatic qualities of a syringa resemble that of orange blossoms. The bushes can grow up to 20 feet tall and generally bloom from May through July. They also attract many species of butterflies and moths!
 

This stunning flower is the white mariposa lily, which is lovely on its own and breathtaking when you happen upon a high meadow filled with their beauty!

It takes several years for the bulb of these flowers to mature enough to produce a blossom, but they are certainly worth the wait. Because they grow from bulbs this delicate flower can survive wildfires, which can provide additional nutrients to the soil and allow these lilies to flourish. It is well suited to rocky soil where competition with other plants is minimal and it prefers higher elevations. This photo was taken near the Deadwood lookout, which sits at an elevation of 8,200 feet.

Remember, when you are out enjoying the beauty that surrounds us, take the time to appreciate and enjoy the numerous wildflowers you will come upon! If you are not sure what they are, take a photo! Someone in the area will likely know what it is. Another option is to use an app on your phone, like PlantSnap, to identify those flowers.

May 27, 2020.  Whether Fantastic or Foolhardy, Julie Leslie and Kathy Vaughan, launched a New Adventure by purchasing Garden Valley Properties.  

Despite the world being plunged into a pandemic, businesses shutting down, disastrous economic prediction and stock market adjustments, Julie and Kathy were optimistic they could continue to keep Garden Valley Properties the thriving business it has always been.   So why not take it another step further?   Julie and Kathy moved the business into 539 S. Middle Fork Road after a furious couple of weeks of remodeling, sprucing, cleaning and painting.  

This week we celebrate our 1st Anniversary.   Not only has the business Thrived, but it has Grown.  Along with the incredible team that stayed with us, we added a new agent, new support staff and a marketing team member.  

We adapted to new business protocol.  We moved our business toward new technologies and new marketing avenues, we helped 154 families start their own new adventure.  We shared with the community.

As we launch into the coming year, we want to thank everyone who has supported us and encouraged us.  Please visit us at our 1 year Anniversary Open House on June 5th from 3PM-5PM.  Everyone is welcome.

Thank you, Garden Valley for being such a great community and thank you especially to Jim Jardine, Toni Palmiotto, Marissa Sevilla, Dani Welsh, Lisa Willey, Ciara Wagner and Kelly Bonner.

I recently took a trip to northern Idaho!

I love to travel the backroads and explore places I haven’t been to in a while.
Leaving Garden valley I traveled to McCall where, as you can expect, business is doing quite well.    Even though it was April and pre-tourist season, McCall was busy. 

Dropping down Whitebird Hill, Grangeville showed many signs of growth since my last visit to the area.  The least traveled, beautiful,  path along the Clearwater River though Kooskia, Kamiak and St.Mary’s was a real treat .  Granted a lot of the tourist centric businesses are not fully opened yet, but some of the more remote communities still seem to be suffering from business slow downs.  That said, there were signs of new construction everywhere.   Some of the newer homes seemed out of place in their otherwise struggling communities.  A luncheon stop at Orofino found a bustling community.  Next you’re there, make a stop at Augies for lunch or ice cream. 

Arriving in Hayden,  Boy was I surprised by the changes there.  New construction everywhere! Traffic was very slow going and at some intersections difficult to navigate.  Numerous overpasses were under construction in an effort to accommodate traffic patterns. A visit to Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene was very busy will the parks full of visitors and the sidewalks busy with shoppers.  On the way to Spokane there was new road construction along the way. Ramps to the freeway were backed up. 
 
Although Washington restrictions are tighter, there was  plenty of activity downtown!  The parks were busy.  Restaurants and shops I  visited were all lively.

At Roosevelt lake I was not surprised to see lots being sold for a pretty penny and new construction, remodeling and upgrading evident everywhere.

Immediately after my return there was an article on the Wall Street Journal naming Coeur d’ Alene the hottest emerging market in the US.  The article claims a 47% increase in year over year home pricing with a 71% decrease in inventory.   Spokane was listed as #5
At the same time an article in the Coeur d’Alene Press reported the city of Hayden, after annexing property in 2013 on the condition of a 4 home per acre density had agreed to change the zoning to 20 homes pe acre.  This all, apparently occurred according to the article, at the end of the agenda for a city meeting with no public notice or input. 

Growth can bring both good and bad!  We should all be involved in helping our local government manage the growth.  It’s here to stay. 

It might seem like a little thing, but the colors found in your surroundings have a big impact on your state of mind. It should be no surprise then to find that the colors in your home can affect how it might sell on the market. A well-staged, nicely painted home invites the potential buyer to see themselves living there, and can help your home sell faster as well as for a better price. We've put together these tips on painting your home to help get it sold!

Ding Ding Ding
Living in a home you can become accustomed to the various small scratches and dings throughout your house. While it's not big deal, these little nicks can add up. A fresh coat of paint covers the scrapes and marks that come from daily life, making a home appear fresher and new.

Consistent but Different
It may be tempting to buy paint in bulk to save money, but having all of your rooms be exactly the same tone can be a bit boring. Studies have found that having rooms of varying colors but in complimentary tones works to add a wider range of enjoyment for the spaces in your house.

Some Tones Work Better in Some Rooms
Science shows that different colors tend to be largely preferred in specific rooms. Since color can set the mood this is no surprise! Blues are big this year! Consider relaxing blues for bathrooms, kitchen color trends vary but generally a lighter color is best; bedrooms frequently work well when done in richer, deep colors that invite relaxation. Most living rooms tend to go bland unfortunately, so consider using a light but warm palette for what is usually the largest room in the home.

Paint to Sell
Painting to sell isn't the same as painting for your own personal tastes. While you may love barn red or chartrues stripes they might not appeal to what could be a wide range of the buyers tastes and no one wants to think about having to repaint before they even move their furniture in.

There are tons of small details that go into selling a home quickly and for the best price!
We would love to speak with you more about your home or cabin if you're considering selling - it's a great time for it and we look forward to helping!

New to Garden Valley, Idaho? Listed below are words of advice from Locals on what to expect during the Summer months. If you have any questions, locals are always quick to help you out. If you search "Garden Valley Idaho Happenings" on Facebook, join the group and ask away!

- You’ll appreciate all those trees and the shaded areas you currently have come summer. It gets hot here!

- Jump in the river to stay cool! Check out the North Fork Championship in June. Go rafting/kayaking!

- Start cutting wood now if you have a wood burning fireplace

- Make sure your clean up all pine needles

- Make time to attend the great plays at Starlight Mountain Theatre! They’re only open in the summer!

- If someone flashed their headlights at you it means there is wildlife in the road.

- If you need firewood, start buying it ASAP - don't wait until August.

- Set up your plow guy before the summer is over. Get references from anyone local, especially neighbors that are willing to help.

- Tomatoes don't go in the ground until the snow is off Garden Mountain- sometimes we don't get much of a crop because the cold stays around too long. -- ----- Always wave back when driving down the road--we take offense if you don't!

- Payette Forward thrift store is the best deal in town. Every penny goes back into the community

- Always get your year's subscription to both the ambulance ride and the life flight ride

- When outside, be aware of your surroundings. Lots of critters waking up and wandering around looking for a meal. Don’t be a meal!

- Cut all dead trees cut all branches off at least 6feet high from ground

- Locals just stay home on holiday weekends. It’s not worth the hassle.

- Long wait times at 17/55 on a Sunday! Best not to travel on that day.

- Don't mind a dusty, dirty car!

- Allow extra time on 17/55, RV's go slower!

- Local dogs may wander around. It's ok for the most part.

- If you don’t have air conditioning (not really needed in many places with trees) Open up your windows in the evenings. We put box fans in the windows to blow the cool air IN. Sometimes the house gets down to low 60s by morning.  Then shut up the house and put shades/blinds on the sunny side of the house. - - -- Keep doors closed as much as possible.

- Look for problem trees that look diseased or are leaning towards structures and have them professionally removed now instead of having them come through your roof with a snow load.

- Prepare for power outages during storms. Keep your devices charged up. Have enough water during summer time.

- If you shop at the market Thursday it’s well stocked ( and senior discount day).

- Order Refill scripts at the pharmacy a few days in advance, they don’t have everything in stock all the time.

We want you to feel at home here in the mountains of Idaho!
If you have any questions about the area, or relocating, get in touch!