GardenDesignOnline

Happenings June 2010

Selected Events from around the Country:

Thru July 25, Losing Paradise: Endangered Plants, Bronx, NY
NY Botanical Garden, Exhibition, 718-817-8700
Thru Aug 29, Romantic Gardens: Nature, Art & Landscape Design, NY, NY
The Morgan Library & Museum:  Drawings, Prints, Lectures, Workshops, Films (212) 685-0008
Thru Oct 12 Designer Shed Exhibition, Stockbridge, MA
Berkshire Botanical Garden, 413-298-3926
Thru Nov.  Making Scents: The Art & Passion of Fragrance, Kennett Square, PA
Exhibition, Longwood Gardens, 610-388-1000

June 1-2 Green Roofs & Walls Conference & Training, Washington DC
Trade Show, Lectures, Green Roof Tours, Workshops. Ronald Reagan Conference Center
June 2, How Romantic is Now: Contemporary Landscape Design, NY, NY
6:30 PM, Panel discussion with landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh & Thomas Woltz, Patrick Cullina of the High Line, Morgan Library & Museum 212-685-0008
June 2-5 Annual Millersville Native Plant Conference, Millersville, PA
Millersville University.  Author William Cullina, Landscape Architect Larry Weaner & others. 717-871-2189
June 4-5 Rhododendron Festival, Sandwich, MA
Heritage Museum & Gardens.  Lectures, garden tours, much more 508-888-3300
June 4-5 Rhododendron Festival & Garden Tour, Sandwich, MA
10AM-4PM, Heritage Museums & Gardens, 508-888-3300 ext 102
June 5, 16th Water-Wise Garden Tour, Dallas, TX
9AM-3PM, Self Guided Tour, Sponsor: Conservation Divison, Dallas Water Utilities
June 5, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, CT, NJ, NY, OR, TN
CA: Belvedere, Ross, Tiburon; CT: Burlington, Plantsville, Wethersfield, Meriden; KY: Lexington; NJ: Woodcliff Lake, Pottersville, Tewksbury, Chester, Far Hills; NY: Bedford, Briarcliff Manor, Tarrytown; OR: Portland; TN: Knoxville

June 6, Brownstone Garden District Garden Walk, Brooklyn, NY
11AM-5PM, Clinton Hill, 15+ gardens, 718-852-9283
June 6, Secret Gardens Tour, Hoboken, NJ
9AM-4PM, 10 gardens, 201-656-2240
June 6, 19th Annual Garden Tour, Baltimore County, MD
10AM-4PM, Sponsor: Hort Society of MD, 410-821-5561
June 6, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours, CT, MA, NY
CT: Bethel, Greenwich, New Canaan, Westport, Stonington; MA: Richmond, West Stockbridge, North Salem

June 7, The Power of Gardens, New York, NY
6PM, Lecture, Designer Nancy Goslee Power, NYBG Midtown Center
June 12, Garden Tour, Putnam County, NY
10AM-4PM, 10-12 gardens, 845-278-7272 ext 287
June 12 Great Rosarians of the World Conference, Bronx, NY
10AM-4PM, 10th annual conference, NY Botanical Garden, 718-817-8700
June 12, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CT, NY, WA
CT: Canton, Collinsville, Meriden; NY: Claverack, Craryville, Germantown, Greenport, Livingston, West Taghkanic, Amenia, Ithaca, Lansing, Spencer, Highland, New Paltz, Rosendale, Saugerties; WA: Auburn, Federal Way, Powellswood, Edgewood, Puyallup

June 12-13 Jackson Hts garden tour, Queens, NY
noon-4PM, 9 private gardens, 718-565-5344
June12-13 Annual Symposium & garden tours, Southampton, NY
9AM-3PM, Sponsor: Parrish Art Museum, 631-283-2118 ext 42
June 13, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CT, NY, PA
CT: Collinsville, Farmington, Unionville, Barkhamsted; NY: Bronx; PA: Erie, Fairview, McKean, North East
June 17, Meadowscaping, Washington DC
12-1PM, Lecture, Author & Designer Catherine Zimmerman, US Botanic Garden 202 225-1116
June 18, Romantic Rooftops, NY, NY
6:30-8:30PM, Workshop with Tricia Martin, President of NY ASLA Chapter, Morgan Library & Museum, 212-685-0008
June 18, Contemporary Urban Landscapes Tour, Chicago, IL
9AM-4PM, Sponsor: Chicago Botanic Garden, 847-835-5440
June 19, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: NJ
River Edge, River Vale, Montclair, Rumson
June 19, South End Garden Tour, Boston, MA
10AM-4PM, 17th annual Self-Guided Tour, 617-437-0999
June 19, Private Gems Garden Tour, Wilmington, DE
9AM-4PM, DE Center for Horticulture, 302-658-6262 x 105

June 19-20 Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: VT, CT, NY
VT: Ferrisburgh, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne; CT: Bridgewater; NY: Bedford, Bedford Hills, Yorktown

June 25-27 Newport Flower Show, Newport, RI
"Safari Flora & Fauna," Lectures, Demos, Plant Sales & More 401-847-1000
June 26-27 Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CT, IL, MA, NH, NY, VT, WA
CT: Sandy Hook, Litchfield, Falls Village, Sharon, Washington, West Cornwall, Glastonbury, Manchester, Cheshire; IL: Winnetka, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest; MA: Marblehead; NY: Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Southampton; VT: Hartland, Hartland Four Corners, Quechee, Windsor; WA: Bainbridge Island; NH: Bedord, Francestown, Goffstown, Hancock, Peterborough, Londonderry;
June 27, City Spaces/Country Places Garden Tour, Chestnut Hill, MA
10AM-4PM, Sponsor: Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 508-869-6111
June 28: Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: MA
Edgartown
June 30, Enchanted Gardens Tour, Woods Hole, MA
9:30AM-3:30PM, Sponsor: Heritage Museums & Gardens, 508-888-3300 ext 111

The Pretentious Gardener

My annoyance level went up about a thousand times last weekend as I made the first stop on a public garden tour. "Jane, there are no photos allowed in this garden."  What?  "Norma (not her real name) doesn't want people to publish photos of her garden (for commercial use) without her permission."

And, you may ask, what was so special about this particular garden.   Well, it had unusual  stonework patterns, and nice plantings, but I've seen hundreds of gardens in my career, and believe me, this one was beautifully put together, but nothing so extra special.  Come on folks ... what is it you're afraid of?  Afraid that a garden club member or a student might like to show a picture of a very nice garden to a friend?

Afraid someone might copy your idea of planting a blue hosta next to a golden one?  Or copy that brick inset (or edging) on the flagstone patio?  Or the cobble edge on the side garden walk?

The fact is, no professional photographer would be caught dead taking photos for publication in the mid-day sun.  Pros usually work only in very early mornings or late afternoons in order to capture the garden in the best light.  And if you don't want people putting up photos of your garden on Flickr, just ask them not to do that.

The most fabulous garden I saw all weekend was one designed by DC landscape architect Guy Williams.  Did he stop people from taking photos? No.  He was talking to EVERYONE who asked about the plants, the combinations, the hardscape and much more.  That's what real professionals do.  They like to share their work with other people. 

And here's a photo of great garden I took a couple of years ago on a garden tour ... a garden by a professional landscape designer at that!

Design: Sustainable in the City

There are a lot of colonial-style houses in parts of DC, but this homeowner has put a lot of time and thought into making this garden very different.  First, she hired landscape architect Paul Davis to help her out, and his fine hand is noticeable throughout.

In front, two "carpets" of brick lead the eye to the front door, along with the lovely diagonal entry path edged with beds of roses, catmint, alliums & other perennials.

At the front door, a bench at the rear of the "carpet," with a beautiful Redbud tree behind it, is a great space for relaxing and taking in the view.

This is a view from the back patio ... back toward the side yard where's there's a path from the front constructed of large stepping stones surrounded by mazus reptans.  Peonies, deutzia, and to the rear, arborvitae that screen the neighboring property.

The rust-colored urn is actually a fountain which cascades down onto black river stones, and note the splashes of chartreuse in the Japanese maple, the Japanese hakone grass, and golden creeping jenny.

At the rear of the patio, there's a stone wall and a path to the natural woodland, where mulch-strewn paths wind through an array of native trees and shrubs.  No herbicides or fertilizers are used in this garden, there's no irrigation system, but site water is reclaimed. It's been designated a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation ... and it's the kind of low-maintenance garden that almost any homeowner could install, with a little help from experts.

The garden was on tour through the Open Days Program of the Garden Conservancy.  

Design: Woodland Inspirations

 

There are certain plants I always forget about using when I'm designing gardens, so I like to take trips to various public gardens around town in various seasons when different plants are in bloom -- just to remind myself about their beauty and utility.

Woodland gardens, like this one at the US National Arboretum, are awash with native deciduous azaleas in springtime, and you have to admit they have a delicate, airy quality you'll never find in one of the candy-colored azaleas that are always so popular.  Some of these native azaleas were introduced in the 1800's or early 1900's and are now established in woodlands throughout the country.  It's worth seeking them out in nurseries .. or hybrids of them, as you can use them to great effect on shady sites.

A native tree you don't see too often is the Carolina silverbell (Halesia tetraptera), and it's probably because the flowers are fleeting in spring. However, it's a great tree for a small patio, especially when it's near a seating area, like the bench shown here, where you can look up into the flowers. Japanese styrax trees have the same effect, but they're not native, and you won't find them out in the woods.

While at the arboretum, I also visited the dogwood section, not looking for anything unusual, just taking in the scene. 
But then, I stumbled upon this .. the Mexican Dogwood (Cornus florida subsp. urbiniana). Darned if I know where I'd get one, but I've never seen blossoms quite so pure white or quite so unusual.  It would be a stunning specimen tree in any garden.

Design: The Genius of Bryant Park

Whenever I'm in NYC's Bryant Park, it still amazes me that it's filled with people, reading, having lunch, lounging around on a lunch break.  I can remember when no one would dare venture into Bryant Park ... it was simply too dangerous.

All that changed with the redesign of the park in 1992 by Laurie Olin ... and that design has just received a Landmark Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).  The firm was cited for its transformation of a derelict space into "a model of urban sustainability," a place where thousands now enjoy year-round activities, including ice skating, concerts, movie screenings and other performances. 

As the New York Times put it in a 1992 article, "Where once the park was the home of derelicts, drug dealers and drug users, it is now awash with office workers, shoppers, strollers and readers from the New York Public Library next door."

Even better, the park is actually a huge green roof, built over a new extension of the library's book stacks which houses more than three million volumes. Olin's design includes smoke vents hidden in the floral borders and a hidden fire escape as well. You can see the plan for the design, and more photos on the ASLA website awards page here.

Design: Outdoor Lighting

Great tips for outdoor lighting from NYC landscape architect Steven Tupu in Wednesday's New York Times.  Tupu. originally from New Zealand, notes that effective landscape lighting doesn't have to cost a fortune.  Read the entire article here, and see his award winning Dumbo rooftop here.

You won't be disappointed.

In the Magazines May June '10

Garden Design May/June 2010

*Read a profile of Chicago landscape architect Douglas Hoerr
*Study Hoerr's understated yet elegant design for an urban Chicago residence.
*Re-visit designer James Doyle's Westchester County design for two Broadway producers which I wrote about here two years ago.
*Landscape architect Sheila Wertimer updates a historic Charleston garden.

The American Gardener May/June 2010

*The artful eye of landscape designer Larry Weaner, an expert in sustainable native landscapes.
*Everything you need to know about lavender.
*Space-saving Buckeyes
*Interview David Creech of Austin State University, who's dedicated to preserving endangered Texas plants.

Sunset May 2010 

*Profile of landscape architect Andreas Stavropoulos, who designs gardens on-site inside his rolling studio ... a Wells Fargo trailer he found on Craigslist.
*Design tricks to create a very low-maintenance garden.

Horticulture June/July '10

*Read a profile of landscape architect Wolfgang Oehme, one of the founders of the New American Garden Style.
*Plants with black leaves to add mystery to the garden
*Creating an American meadow garden.
*How to plant a small roof garden.

Books: Designs & Plants with Year-Round Attractions

If you live in a northern climate, a major conundrum for homeowners and designers is a garden that's attractive throughout the year. Gardeners who are star-struck by perennials soon learn that it's not much fun to stare at bare brown ground or mulch from late October until at least mid-April, if not later.

Now, in their latest book The Nonstop Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Plant Choices and Four-Season Designs, authors Stephanie Cohen and Jennifer Benner present 10 designs that will last through all four seasons. Cohen admits that she was once a perennial "purist," wondering why her plantings had no "oomph." She says she finally realized that perennials look a lot better with other kinds of plants, and that she's been "mixing perennials, woody plants, herbs, annuals and tropicals in her garden ever since."

The first design in the book,  "Winter Wonderland," includes such plants as the paperbark maple, with stunning bark; late-winter bloomers like Witch Hazel and lenten rose; specimen evergreens and more. 

Other designs focus on four season plants for wildlife; shade; fragrance; wet areas; native plants; the inferno strip between the sidewalk and street; vivid colors; cool colors; and plants with golden leaves. 

Beautiful drawings illustrate each concept, and there's a planting plan and plant list for each as well. 

There are special sections on bulbs, edible flowers, ornamental vegetables and herbs, annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs.  The authors also include a chapter on permanent garden structures such as paving, arbors, furniture -- and how to use them for maximum effect.

I particularly liked the final chapter on Seasonal Beauty and Interest, with photos of stunning plant combinations that focus on many design basics ie, Work with Your Setting, Not Against It; Create Visual Appeal With Texture; Accessorize Plantings with Spring Blooms; Fill in the Cracks; Have Fun with See-Through Plants; and the like.  It's chapters like this one that teach us all how to use plants for more effective designs. 

Plants, of course, are not the whole story,  but they are a big part of it, and this book will find a favorite place on many a garden bookshelf.

Plants: New Oakleaf Hydrangeas

No, it's not a full-size pink oakleaf hydrangea, but getting close. This is the new dwaf Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers' developed by the US National Arboretum's shrub breeding program in McMinnville, TN.

This oakleaf reaches 3.5 feet tall and about five feet wide at seven years, with nine-inch long flower clusters that open white and fade to pale pink and then deep rose, as shown above. The foliage is similar to a regular oakleaf, dark green in summer and burgundy in fall.

'Ruby Slippers' has been released to growers; it's a hybrid of 'Snow Queen' and 'Pee Wee.'

Also from the arboretum is the new Hydrangea quercifolia 'Munchkin,' which is even smaller. It has a compact form and dense habit, reaching three feet tall and 4.5 feet wide in nine years. Its flowers are about 6.5 inches long, opening white and eventually turning a medium pink. It was developed from 'Sikes Dwarf.' Both of these new hydrangeas would be great specimen plants in small gardens, and it sounds like they're even small enough for townhouse patio gardens. Could be great additions to the summer garden.

Both prefer full sun or light shade and are hardy to zone 5.  The plants are expected to be available in retail nurseries within the next year or two.

(photos: Dr. Sandra Reed, USNA)

Super-Weeds on the Way

If antibiotic-resistant disease strains aren't enough, now there's evidence that over-use of weedkillers -- specifically Roundup -- or glyphosate -- is creating weeds resistant to herbicides.

In an article in the New York Times, Andrew Wargo III, president of the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, is quoted as saying "It is the single largest threat to production agriculture that we have ever seen."

And of course, the threat to garden ornamentals can't be far behind.  Too bad it's so difficult to persuade homeowners to stop using toxic materials in the garden.

Read the entire New York Times story here. It's very important.