GardenDesignOnline

A Fashion Designer's Garden

 

click on images to enlarge

Designers are all of a family, whether they're designing interiors, exteriors, clothes, furniture, you name it.  So it was no surprise to note the careful, well-thought-out garden in Washington, CT of Linda Allard, former top fashion designer for Ellen Tracy.

 

  Allard's garden was recently open for a Garden Conservancy Tour, and although there was not much in bloom, the garden will be open again on June 23rd, and it's well worth a trip to see it.

When Allard bought the property back in the 80's, there was nothing there but meadows.  Now, stone walls support espaliered fruit trees, geometric beds fill the vegetable garden, a white garden of mostly native plants winds through a woodland, and there are panoramic views out to the Litchfield Hills.

There are a number of patios throughout the landscape, but I liked this one off the main part of the house, with candle-lanterns to light the dining table after dark. The same kind of lanterns hang from trees on the approach to the patio, tying the entire area together.

The Italianate house sits back from a wide circular gravel drive, and there's a lovely conservatory addition on one side.

 

Note the very formal entrance that sits adjacent to the gravel drive.

And the woodland (shown below) is filled with white azaleas, hellebores, white bleeding hearts, Galium odoratum, dogwoods and spring flowering bulbs, and occasional statuary and benches. It was inspired by William Robinson's The Wild Garden, originally published in 1870.

 

 

 

Books: White House Veg Garden

As a former reporter at the White House, I was absolutely thrilled when First Lady Michelle Obama decided to install a vegetable garden on the South Lawn in 2009. Since then, it has produced edibles for formal lunches, State Dinners, and for the Obama family's meals. About one-third of the produce is sent over to Miriam's Table, a local organization that feeds the homeless.

Now, Mrs. Obama has written a book, American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America (Crown Publishers, 2012) that tells the story of the garden and offers readers a look at community, school and urban gardens in other parts of the country. In the introduction to the book the First Lady says she was "alarmed by reports of skyrocketing childhood obesity rates and the dire consequences for our children's health."  She started the garden, she says, to help start a conversation about "the food we eat, the lives we lead, and how all of that affects our children."

When you live in the White House, you're in possession of a huge megaphone that can reach millions of people ... and Michelle Obama has used it to spread the word about healthy living for all of America's children.  A year after she started the garden, Mrs. Obama started Let's Move!, a program to encourage children to participate in physical activities.

The book includes a brief history of White House gardens, from the one that was plowed and fertilized by John Adams to the Victory Garden planted by Eleanor Roosevelt, the Rose Garden added by the Kennedys, and the herb garden installed by President Jimmy Carter.

Mrs. Obama recounts the mishaps that can befall any gardener, profiles the children from nearby Bancroft Elementary School who have helped throughout, and offers tips on planning and planting your own home vegetable garden.

Finally, there are some very nice recipes from the team of White House chefs ... how about the mac and cheese that includes pureed cauliflower and parsley ... and yes, there's even a picture of a small child happily indulging.

Beautiful photos throughout the book, along with illustrated garden "plans" for every season. All proceeds from the book are going to the National Park Foundation, the official charity for the country's national parks.

 

 

 

 

Books: Garden Antiques -- How to Buy

Well, it looks like the real thing ... but is it? It always pays to know what you're looking at, and now, the noted garden antique dealer Barbara Israel has written a terrific guide to help you do just that. 

As Barbara says in the intro to her new book, A Guide to Buying Antique Garden Ornament, it may not be entirely useful just to put yourself in the hands of a reputable dealer. "A dealer may, in all good faith, represent a stone piece as mid-19th century," she says, "when it actually is a mid-20th-century piece that has just aged quickly."

The paperback book, available from Barbara Israel Garden Antiques, takes you through all the basics, from style and terminology to nomenclature, materials, and tips on how to deal with the dealers. 

There are separate chapters on subjects such as cast stone vs. carved stone, stone objects like wellheads and sundials, terracotta and stoneware, cast iron and wrought iron objects, and other metals as well.

In each case, Israel lets you know what's acceptable and what's not.  For example, hairline cracks in stone objects are probably OK, but repairs with epoxy are not, unless it's been handled by a real expert. Photos throughout the book clearly illustrate all the major points she's making.

The book won't make you an expert, but it's worth studying very carefully, because at least you'll know what to look for when you venture out to buy -- or just to appreciate what's on view in public gardens or parks.  The book is a must-have for garden designers and landscape architects who don't want to disappoint their clients.

 (photo: Barbara Israel Garden Antiques)

 

 

Memorial Day Rose

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

And what better way to celebrate than with a Memorial Day  Rose? This orchid pink hybrid tea was an All-America Rose Selections  winner in 2004. One bloom is said to be enough to fill an entire room with its strong damask scent.  It's a medium-tall, upright shrub, about five feet tall and four feet wide. Long stems, low thorns, and clear green leaves make it a good candidate for the cutting garden.  The blooms are about five inches in diameter, with a petal count of 50-plus.

In addition, it's said to have very good disease resistance and it's also quite heat-tolerant.

This rose was developed by Tom Carruth of Weeks Roses of Upland, CA. Memorial Day is a cross between Blueberry Hill and New Zealand, and it was Carruth's fifth AARS winner.

You should be able to buy the rose at most garden centers or from mail-order sources.  If not, you can check Weeks website by clicking on the link above to find a nursery that carries it. 

(photo: Gene Sasse (c) 2007 courtesy Weeks Roses)

Happenings June 2012

Selected Events Around the Country:

Thru Oct 21, "The Artist in the Garden," Bronx, NY
Exhibition on Monet's Garden, NY Botanical Garden, 718-817-8700

June 1-2 Concord Museum Garden Tour, Concord, MA
9AM-4PM, 23rd annual tour, 8 gardens, 978-369-9763
June 2, Private Gardens of Bethesda Tour, Bethesda, MDWorkshop
10AM-4PM, 2nd annual tour, 8 gardens, 301-962-1402
June 2, Water-Wise Landscape Tour, Dallas, TX
9AM-3PM, 18th annual tour, 19 gardens & more, 214-670-3155
June 2, Rose Conference, Bronx, NY
9:30AM-5:30PM, Great Rosarians of the World East Lecture Series, 800-322-NYBG
June 2, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, CT, NY, ME
CA: Santa Clara, San Mateo Counties; CT: Hartford County; NY: Columbia, Westchester Counties; ME: York County
June 2, Beatrix Farrand Centennial Celebration, Hyde Park, NY
4PM-7PM, Beatrix Farrand Garden Assn, 845-229-9115

June 3, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: ME, CA, NY, WA
ME: York County; CA: San Francisco; NY: Putnam, Westchester Counties; WA: Pierce County
June 3,  23rd annual Garden Tour, Maryland
10AM-4PM, Hort Society of MD 410-821-5561
June 7, Greenwich Garden Tour, Greenwich, CT
10AM-4PM, "Glamour in the Garden," 203-869-9242
June 7-9 Native Plants in the Landscape Conference, Millersville, PA
22nd annual conference. Speakers, tours, workshops, more.  717-817-2189
June 9, Putnam County Secret Garden Tour, Putnam Cty, NY
10AM-4PM, Self-guided tour, 845-278-7272
June 9-10: Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, CO, CT,MA NJ, NY, RI
CA: Mendocino, Santa Clara Counties; CO: Arapahoek, Denver, Jefferson Counties; CT: Fairfield County; MA: Berkshire County; NJ: Hunterdon, Essex Counties; NY: Columbia, Putnam, Ulster Counties; RI: Newport County
June 9-10 Garden Dialogues: Various Locations in US
10AM-5PM. Landscape architects & their clients discuss the design process: gardens in Washington DC; Connecticut; Northern & Southern California; Chicago; Hudson Valley & the Hamptons, NY. The Cultural Landscape Foundation, 202-483-0553
June 9-10 Landscape Pleasures Garden Symposium & Tours, Southampton, NY
Parrish Art Museum, "Down the Garden Path," 631-283-2118

June 10-22 "Preserving Jefferson's Gardens," Charlottesville, VA
Historic Landscape Institute: lectures, workshops, tours, more 434-984-9816
June 16, 19th Annual South End Garden Tour, Boston, MA
10AM-4PM, 20 gardens, 617-437-0999
June 16, 12th Enchanted Gardens of NW Denver Tour, Denver, CO
9AM-4PM, about 20 gardens, 303-433-4983
June 16, Central Park's Enduring Legacy, NY, NY
10:30AM-2:30PM, Workshop, NYBG Manhattan Center, 800-322-NYBG
June 16-17, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, CT, NH, NJ, NY, VT
CA: Marin County; CT: Tolland, Litchfield Counties; NH: Grafton County; NJ: Bergen County; NY: Dultchess, Westchester Counties; VT: Windsor County

June 20, Creating Gardens of Serenity, Bronx, NY
10AM-3:30PM, Workshop, NY Botanical Garden, 800-322-NYBG
June 21, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: MA
Nantucket
June 22-24 Dwell on Design Conference, Los Angeles, CA
LA Convention Center. Exhibits, tours, lectures, classes more.
June 22-24, Newport Flower Show, "Salsa: A Celebration of Latin Culture: Newport, RI
Location: Rosecliff.  Lectures, Demos, Floral Designs, More 401-847-1000
June 23-24, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CT, IL, NY, OR, NY
CT: Litchfield, Hartford, New Haven, New London Counties; IL: Kane, Lake, Cook Counties; NY: Columbia, Suffolk, Rockland, Westchester Counties; OR: Washington County

June 26, Naturalistic Planting Design, Bronx, NY
1PM-4PM, Workshop, NY Botanical Garden, 800-322-NYBG
June 30, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: NJ, NJ, WA
NJ: Monmouth County; NH: Cheshire County; WA: Kitsap County

LOOKAHEAD:

July 4-10 Perennial Plant Symposium, Boston, MA
July 25 Woody Plant Conference, Villanova, PA
Sept 16-22, APLD Annual Design Conference, San Francisco Bay Area
Sept 28-Oct 1, ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo, Phoenix, AZ

In the Magazines May-June 2012

The American Gardener May-June

*Sustainable hard-scaping: recycled and re-purposed materials
*Native American vines
*Native American herbs
*Bulbs for Summer

 

Garden Design June
*Outdoor style by LA designer Judy Kameon
*Planning an outdoor kitchen
*Plantsman John Fairey
*Outdoor sculptures by Stan Bitters
*Outdoor spaces by 14 designers

Horticulture May/June
*Money-saving ways to plant the garden 

*All about edible flowers
*Blueberries for the entire country
*Taking your plants with you when you move

Chihuly Glass Gardens

 

photos: Chihuly Garden & Glass - click to enlarge

Those are glass sculptures in the photo, not new cultivars of trees & shrubs.  Glass artworks by Dale Chihuly, naturally. The Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle opens May 21st -- at the Seattle Center, next to the Space Needle.

 

The exhibition marks the most comprehensive display of Chihuly's art, featuring installations of some of his most popular glass works. Chihuly, who lives in Seattle, called the exhibition a personal dream come true. "For many years," he said, "I have wanted to display all the elements of my work in one space and to have it right here in my hometown could not be more gratifying."

An indoor pavilion of more than 12 thousand square feet will feature a number of the artist's important works, including the Neon and Glass Forest, a Mille Fiori platform, a Sealife tower, and a Chandelier room.

Outdoors, a 43-foot high Glass House will house five of Chihuly's enormous chandeliers, which appear as one huge installation.  It's 40 feet tall, 100 feet long and has more than 1400 individual components.  Outdoors, the 16 thousand square foot garden contains a number of sculptures, including a green and yellow Icicle Tower, Ikebana, Fiddleheads, Floats, Belugas, and a 16-foot diameter Sun.

For the past several years, Chihuly glass sculptures have been exhibited at some of the country's most important botanical gardens.  Now, many of them will have a permanent home in one place. Well worth a trip to Seattle.

 

 

 

 

Design: What You Can Do With Wisteria

 

click to enlarge

 

This garden was on last weekend's Garden Conservancy tour in Washington, CT ... and I'd sure love to go back when the wisteria vine shown here (at one entrance to the garden) is in full bloom.  I've never seen one done quite like this, and I love the concept of the clipped circular vine ... cascading off to the side over the wall.

And ... more on this garden later.  It was quite exceptional.

Doris Duke Gardens Open Again

 

photos: Duke Farms - click to enlarge

 The wildflower trail, shown above, is just one of myriad new features at the estate of the late heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke, which opens again to the public on May 19th. 

In accordance with Duke's wishes, the 2740-acre property is now an environmental showcase and learning center, with 18 miles of trails winding through the woods and meadows, lakes and other features on the grand estate. In her will, Duke, a lifelong environmentalist who died in 1993, specified that Duke Farms should be used to protect wildlife and also for agricultural and horticultural research.

The old conservatory, known as The Orchid Range, once home to display gardens depicting landscape styles from around the world, is now a LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building with tropical orchids and a coastal plain garden.

Monet's Garden at the NYBG

 

photos:NYBG- click to enlarge

If you can't get to Giverny anytime soon, then head to the New York Botanical Garden for a major exhibit this year (May 19-October 21) on Claude Monet's life, his artwork, and his passion for gardening. In May and June, displays in the Enid Haupt Conservatory will evoke the iconic Grand Alleé (the Clos Normand) and the Japanese footbridge at Monet's garden in France. In July and August, the displays will change, featuring the water lilies that inspired one of his most famous paintings. In fall, the conservatory switches again to a fall display of chrysanthemums,   salvias, asters, and other perennials.

 

Aside from the conservatory exhibits, two of Monet's rarely seen paintings, along with photos of him and his garden, will be on view in the garden's LuEsther T. Mertz Library. One of the paintings, Irises, dates to about 1915, and comes from a private collection in Switzerland.  It has never been shown before in the United States.  The second painting, The Artist's Garden in Giverny, (above) is on loan from Yale University.

Dr. Paul Hayes Tucker, a leading authority on Monet and curator of the exhibition, says Monet's gardens "were a constant in his life."  He added that the artist "tended to them lovingly ... and "their poetry, their prose, their splendor reminds us not only of his diligence, duty, and discipline, but likewise of his devotion to something that is larger than all of us."