GardenDesignOnline

Happenings January 2013

Selected Events Around the Country:

Jan 6-7 National Green Center Trade Show, St. Louis, MO
America's Center; workshops, lectures, exhibits, more 888-233-1876
Jan 9-11 MANTS, Baltimore, MD
Mid-Atlantic Nurserymen's Trade Show, Baltimore Convention Center, -- plants, garden accessories, more 800-431-0066
Jan 10, "Just for the Smell of It," San Marino, CA
2:30PM, Lecture, Rose hybridizer Tom Carruth, The Huntington, 626-405-2100
Jan 10-11, "Ecological Research into Landscape Design," New London, CT
9AM-4:45PM, 24th New Directions in the American Landscape Conference, Connecticut College, 215-247-5777
Jan 11-13 Southbay Home & Garden Show, Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara Convention Center, 408-236-2000
Jan 12, "Perennial Combinations that Work," Stockbridge, MA
10AM-noon, Lecture, Berkshire Botanical Garden, 413-298-3926
Jan 12, "Shape & Size: Designing for Impact & Interest," Framingham, MA
9:30AM-2:30PM, Workshop, New England Wildflower Society, 508-877-7630
Jan 12-13, Virginia Home & Garden Show, Doswell, VA
Meadow Event Park, 8l04-425-6556

Jan 13, 17th annual P.L.A.N.T Seminar, Columbus, OH
8:15AM-5PM, 6 Lectures on Perennials & Design, Perennial Plant Assn, 614-771-8431
Jan 17-18, "Ecological Research into Landscape Design," Haverford, PA
9AM-4:45PM, 24th New Directions in the American Landscape Conference, Haverford College, 215-247-5777
Jan 18-20 Oklahoma City Home & Garden Show, Oklahoma City, OK
OK State Fair Park, 405-948-6704

Jan 23-25, Tropical Plant Industry Exposition, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Tropical Plants Trade Show, Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center, 800-375-3642
Jan 23-27, Tacoma Home & Garden Show, Tacoma, WA
Tacoma Dome, 253-756-2121
Jan 25-27 Virginia Flower & Garden Expo, Virginia Beach, VA
Va. Beach Convention Center, 757-284-6139
Jan 26, "Designing New Wave Gardens (Piet Oudolf Style), Stockbridge, MA
10AM-noon, Lecture, Berkshire Botanical Garden, 413-298-3926
Jan 26-27, 27th Southern Gardening Symposium, Pine Mountain, GA
Callaway Gardens: Lectures, Workshops, Plant Sales, Tours 800-225-5292

Jan 28-30, Utah Green Conference, Sandy, UT
"Plant-Wise Utah" -- Trade Show, Lectures (Panayoti Kelaidis, keynoter) 801-484-4426
Jan 29, 17th Annual Plant-O-Rama, Brooklyn, NY
9AM-4PM, Trade Show & Symposium, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 718-623-7200
Jan 31, "The Modern Garden: Finding a Language," Bronx, NY
10AM, Lecture by British designer Tom Stuart-Smith, NY Botanical Garden, 800-322-NYBG

LOOKAHEAD:

Feb 20-24, Northwest Flower & Garden Show, Seattle, WA
"There's A Little Garden in All of Us," Washington State Convention Center, 253-756-2121

March 2-10, Philadelphia Flower Show, Philadelphia, PA
"Brilliant" (British Gardens), PA Convention Center, 215-988-8899

May 21-25, Chelsea Flower Show, London, UK

Christmas Gifts 2012 - V

Give a gift certificate from your favorite local botanical garden to the gardener of your choice ... you can't go wrong with this gift ... the recipient can choose what he or she likes, and the the proceeds go to support the local garden.

It's always nice to have a local gardening handbook written by someone who knows the local scene.  There's a new series out from Cool Springs Press (Quayside Publishing Group imprint) Carolinas Gardener's Handbook: All You Need to Know to Plan, Plant & Maintain a Carolinas Garden.  The books include profiles of plants that do best in each region, along with photos, size & cultural requirements, plus general info on gardening in each specific area.  Aside from the Carolinas, there are also guides for New England, Florida, the Rocky Mountains, and Texas. Very nice handbooks.

A lot of vegetable gardeners have used the square foot method developed by Mel Bartholomew (I used it once myself, some years ago, and it worked GREAT) ... and now he elaborates on the subject in Square Foot Gardening Answer Book: New Information from the Creator of Square Foot Gardening - the Revolutionary Method Used by 2 Million Thrilled Followers.  He tackles pest problems, soil requirements, water usage, raised boxes and much more. For those who want veg gardens in small spaces.

Holiday Garden Motif from Longwood Gardens, this cheery mug is perfect for Christmas, and on in to the New Year.  Also. soap dishes and rectanglular glass plates in a similar design.

 

And finally, I'll repeat my message again ... give the gift of membership to a local garden of your choice...give it to yourself, if not to anyone else. And enjoy.

Christmas Gifts 2012 - IV

Garden Wheels from Womans Work:
These handy weather-proof wheels can be taken right out into the garden where they can be used to plan the border, etc.  On the perennial wheel shown here, plants are organized by height, along with info on sun exposure, color, and more.

Also, wheels for annuals, shade plants, bulbs, bird attractors, vegetables and herbs.

 

Not sure I like this funky coffee table that converts to a dining table for four -- with firepit included, but you have to admit it is an all-in-one that many people might like.  From Hammacher.

 

You have to have something to show off those blooms and branches, and I really like the indoor/outdoor vases from Heath Ceramics.  This single-stem vase comes in four vibrant colors, and other styles are available as well in many different hues.  Simple, elegant, very stylish.

 

 

Unusual, beautiful oak leaf ornaments from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.  Five inches long, they are made by hand, and each one is slightly different.  Covered with glass glitter, they come in silver, gold or antique gold.

Christmas Books 2012 - III

My candidate for the most beautiful book of the year ... and aside from the drop-dead gorgeous photographs, there's a wealth of information from master Ken Druse about the plant combinations that look the best, most of which you'll never have thought of yourself. The book is Natural Companions: The Garden Lover's Guide to Plant Combinations by Ken Druse, photographs by Ellen Hoverkamp. 

Druse also fills you in on many new cultivars, so it's a book you won't want to be without.  My original review is here.

 If you're not familiar with the landscapes of Edmund Hollander -- that rare combination of master plantsman and landscape architect -- then you'd be well advised to obtain a copy of this book, The Private Oasis: The Landscape Architecture of Edmund Hollander Design by Philip Langdon. These are magnificent landscapes, and you'll learn many design lessons from studying the plants, the layouts, the water features and many other elements.  Over one thousand color photos, to boot. 

You'll look at trees in a brand new light with Magnificent Trees of the New York Botanical Garden, (Monacelli Press, 2012)  by photographer Larry Lederman and Todd Forrest, VP for Horticulture and Living Collections at the NYBG. Photos show the trees in all their majesty with many details -- form, color, blossoms, bark -- you'll covet each and every one.

The garden is home to more than 30 thousand trees, and the authors have selected the very best specimens for inclusion in the book.

Yes, I know ... another book about Thomas Jefferson's Monticello? This one, "A Rich Spot of Earth": Thomas Jefferson's Revolutionary Garden at Monticello (Yale University Press, 2012) is by Peter Hatch, who directed the restoration of the terraced vegetable garden at Jefferson's country estate. It's now more or less as it was in 1812 ... complete with all those "unusual" vegetables that Jefferson introduced: peanuts, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, lima beans & more.  Fascinating history, fascinating book to own.

 

 

Christmas Gifts 2012 - III

 

photo: McKinnon

A quirky new garden chair from McKinnon and Harris ... this is the Benedict Gothic Revival Chair.  And Gothic is very popular in many quarters these days. Yes, this funiture is very expensive, and sold to the trade ... but if you're a homeowner, you can order through a landscape design professional.

 

Something from the McKinnon and Harris collection would be the grand gift for your grand garden ... or your grand garden to come.  So go for it!

 

photo: Infinita

On the more modest side, cost-wise, these Teak Le Click tiles snap onto your deck or whatever and come in various configurations. They[re said to add a lot of life to existing decks.  And if you install them right, they look pretty snazzy.

 

From Hillwood Museum & Gardens, a hand-blown glass ornament patterned after the Fabergé Twelve Monogram Easter Egg.

Also, some lovely books and jewelry available online, too.

 

 

At The Huntington, there's a very nice dragonfly tile (made by Motawi Tileworks) available ... kind of in the art and crafts style.  There's also a raven tile and other nice decorative items.

 

 

 

Christmas Books 2012 - II

A perfect book for any avid gardener or designer:  25 fabulous landscapes from Connecticut to Iowa to Arizona & California are profiled here by veteran gardening editor, author, and educator Elvin McDonald.  In his new book, A Garden Makes a House a Home (Monacelli Press, 2012), McDonald explains how these exquisite gardens, designed by some of the country's best -- including Raymond Jungles, Douglas Hoerr, Philip Watson and Rosalind Creasy -- both small and large, can inspire anyone who wants to enhance the outdoor areas of their home.  Beautiful photos, as well, and a great addition to that coffee table collection, too.

If you think you'd like a vegetable garden -- especially if you have children -- this is the book for you, whether you're an Obama fan or not. Great story, recipes from the White House kitchen, garden plans, info, and much more.The book is: American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America.  Read my original review here. 

And speaking of vegetables, you might want to put this one under someone's tree:  the 8th edition of the one of the classics on the subject, How to Grow More Vegetables, Eighth Edition: (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You ... (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains,). With this book, you can start on that garden right now. My review is here.

 

 

The Unknown, Important Garden Designer

Well, I have to admit it ... I'd never heard of Madison Cox until I read about him in the Wall Street Journal.  This image is from his website, but it's the only photo there is.

He's apparently been creating gardens for high-end clients for about 25 years, but he shuns publicity.  According to the WSJ, he's often compared to the late British designer Russell Page.

You can read the entire article here, which was published November 29th in the Wall Street Journal.  Happy reading ... and very interesting.

New Plants 2013 - III

 

images: Bailey -- click to enlarge

Some of the new Introductions for Spring from Bailey Nurseries:
Among the new crape myrtles out this spring are the First Editions® Magic™ Series. They include the Lagerstroemia 'Purple Magic' (shown here) with dark purple flowers and foliage that turns from red to green, just 6-10 feet high, zones 6-9.  Great for a big splash of color in small gardens.

Lagerstroemia 'Midnight Magic'
This amazing crape myrtle has purple foliage and dark pink flowers, and it blooms from July to September.  It's a very small tree (should we say shrub?) just 4-6 feet high, zones 6-9.  But certainly a standout.

All of these crape myrtles were developed by Plant Introductions, Inc.  'Plum Magic' is 6-10 feet high with fuchsia flowers and plum-purple foliage that matures to dark green.
'Coral Magic' is 6-10 feet high, salmon pink flowers and reddish leaves that turn dark green. These last two are zones 6-9 as well.

Berberis thunbergii 'Daybreak'
This small barberry is only 18 inches high and wide, with a smashing yellow-orange foliage.  Great for containers and you can't beat the color.  But probably don't plant it out in areas where barberry is on the invasive lists.  Zones 4-8.

Golden Fleece™ Abelia
(Abelia x grandiflora 'PllAB-l')
I do love abelias, and this sounds like a great addition to the cultivars. The foliage turns from bronze to yellow to soft green through the season and the white flowers have burgundy undertones.  Four to five feet high and wide, it would probably be great as a hedge.  Zones 6-9.