NEW PRODUCTS

GARDEN

Internet nursery offers desert-hardy plants

High Country Gardens is an Internet nursery based out of Santa Fe, N.M., that focuses on perennials suitable for the Western United States. Plants offered require little to no extra water once established in the garden.

Putting a perennial in your yard not only makes gardening easier, it also helps the environment by using less water while still providing lush native flowers and foliage. Many of the flowering plants are sure to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

David Salman, chief horticulturist, establishes different zones for each climate in the West and shows which plants grow best in what areas. Las Vegas is considered zone 8, with 247 plants that can grow well in the valley.

All plants listed on the Web site are nursery grown from seeds and cuttings.

Among other plants, High Country Gardens offers an extensive selection of cacti and succulents that have been observed to thrive in Las Vegas year-round. Cacti, succulents and grasses are shipped all summer long.

When fall arrives, shipments can be made for bulbs and shrubs.

For additional information, or to receive a free plant catalog, log on to www.highcountrygardens.com.

Diana Rose released for 10th anniversary

Make your garden beautiful while continuing the Princess Diana tradition of giving.

This year marks the 10th anniversary since the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. To memorialize the occasion, the rose specialists at Jackson and Perkins present the Diana, Princess of Wales Commemorative Rose.

The rose, with its large, ivory-colored blooms and soft pink blush, would be a lovely addition to any flower garden. Each stem features 30-35 petals and gives off a light tea-rose scent. The bush stands between 5 feet and 6 feet tall and produces 5-inch blooms.

Chosen specifically by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, the rose bush debuted in 1998 and since then, 475,000 plants have been sold in the United States.

With each purchase, Jackson and Perkins donates 10 percent of all net sales to the princess' humanitarian fund that aids disadvantaged people in war-torn communities around the world.

Each rose bush is priced at $19.95, and can be ordered at www.jacksonandperkins.com.

Watering system taps natural minerals

Here in the desert, rain is scarce. But when it does thunderstorm, plants emerge greener and more vibrant. This is because storms produce super-oxygenated water that stimulates the roots of plants in ways regular tap water can not.

Tapping into Mother Nature's secret, the Enki Watering System invigorates plants by allowing metal plates located within the unique can's design to bubble your tap water, which results in a gain of five times its normal oxygen saturation level in five minutes.

Once the ordinary water transforms into extraordinary water, it stays that way for several hours, so you can take your time watering.

The super-oxygenated water goes straight to plant roots, creating more nutrient uptake. By stimulating growth through more oxygen, Enki has been seen to dramatically increase the number of fruit, vegetables and flowers grown in your garden within 30 days.

The system features a durable, 1-gallon, polypropylene pitcher with self-contained metal activation plates. Watering is made easier with the elongated spout and no-spill handle.

The Enki Watering System is available for $79.95 at www.myenki.com.

BATHROOM

Bid bye-bye to toilet plungers

Being startled out of sleep in the middle of the night by the flushing of a noisy toilet is a terrible feeling. Even worse, is cleaning up a mess caused by the clogging and over-flowing of your porcelain throne.

With American Standard's new Champion 4 Flushing System, you can say good-bye to plungers. Designed with the widest waterways in the toilet industry, the system does away with clogging, disruptive flushes and the feared overflow. The 4-inch, fully glazed trapway moves nearly 70 percent more mass than the standard 2-inch version, while pushing water into the bowl three times faster than the average flush valve. Not to mention, the system actually saves water.

Haven't had a chance to clean? You won't have to be embarrassed when guests show up at the last minute because the toilet's bowl stays sparkling clean thanks to the silver-based EverClean permanent surface.

Champion 4 toilets are powerful, efficient and comfortable.

American Standard offers a 10-year worry-free warranty. The toilet system is available in white, bone, linen, silver and black.

Champion 4 can be purchased online at www.americanstandard-us.com, starting at $333.

TOOLS

Craftsman stand holds up to 300 pounds

Craftsman answers the requests of do-it-yourselfers with the Universal Tool Stand, which not only makes organizing household tasks a breeze but trouble-free, as well.

Weighing in at 30 pounds, the stand can accommodate up to 300 pounds. Built tough, it can bear 12-inch miter saws, scroll saws and other tools.

Opening and closing the X-style stand is simple. The chrome-coated steel legs ratchet up or down with positive detent stops to maintain position. The stand also features cross-steel support brackets for rigidity.

Convenient and comfortable, the stand rests at a height of 34 inches. On the tabletop are factory-punched slots that serve as guides to help secure saws with nuts and bolts.

Once you're done working, the stand folds up for transport and storage.

Find the Craftsman Universal Tool Stand at Sears for $79.99.

--Compiled by Vicki Marquette