GardenDesignOnline

Happenings May 2015

Selected Events Around the Country:

May 2, All About Containers Saturday, Bronx, NY
10AM-5PM, Three separate, different sessions, NY Botanical Garden, 718-817-8700
Repeated May 16 at NYBG Midtown Center
May 2-3 Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour, CA
10AM-5PM, 35 gardens, self-guided tour, various locations.
May 2-3 Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: IL, CA, NY
IL: Elburn, Chicago; CA: Los Angeles, NY: Mt. Kisco
May 3, Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, CA
30 gardens, self-guided, Alameda & Contra Costa Ctys, 510-236-9558

May 5, Landscape Architect Mikyoung Kim, Washington DC
6:30 PM, Lecture, National Building Museum, 202-272-2448
May 5, Webinar, Outdoor Kitchen Design
noon EST, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, 800-868-1699, CEU's
May 8, Naturalistic Garden Symposium, Framingham, MA
8AM-5:30PM, New England Wildflower Society, 508-877-7630
May 8, National Public Gardens Day, Nationwide
Special Events at Public Gardens Throughout the Country
May 8, Emily Dickinson's Gardens, Washington DC
noon, Lecture, US Botanic Garden, 202-225-8333
May 9, Georgetown Garden Tour, Washington DC
10AM-5PM, 87th annual tour, 202-965-1950
May 9-10 What's Out There Weekend, Newport County, RI
Expert tours of Newport Landscapes, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, 202-483-0553
May 9-10 Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: NJ, NY, CT
NJ: River Edge  NY: Copake Falls, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam  CT: Sharon

May 16-Nov1, Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life, Bronx, NY
Exhibition with lectures, art, music & more. NY Botanical Garden, 718-817-8700

May 16-17, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: NJ, NY
NJ: Essex Cty  NY: Dutchess Cty, Nassau Cty
May 16-17, Trade Secrets Show & Garden Tour, Northwest CT
Garden antiques, rare plants, private garden tours, 860-364-1080
May 17, Plants of the NJ Pine Barrens, Washington DC
2PM, Lecture, US Botanic Garden, 202-225-8333

May 19-23, Chelsea Flower Show, London, UK
May 19, Society Hill Home & Garden Tour, Philadelphia, PA
1PM-5PM, Society Hill Homes & Gardens, 215-629-1288
May 21, Beacon Hill Garden Tour, Boston, MA
9AM-5PM, 86th annual tour, 12 private gardens, 617-227-4392
May 23-24, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: SC, NY, ME
ME: York  SC: Charleston  NY: Westchester, Long Island

May 28-29, Urban Agriculture Conference, NY, NY
NY Horticultural Society, 212-757-0915
May 30, Garden Dialogues, Atlanta, GA
Tours of private gardens with designers, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, 202-483-0553
May 30-31, Garden Dialogues, Los Angeles, CA
Tours of private gardens with designers, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, 202-483-0553
May 30-31, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: RI, NY, SC, MO
RI: Little Compton  NY: Ulster Cty, Putnam Cty, Westchester SC: Charleston MO: St. Louis

LOOKAHEAD:

June 11, Landscape Architect Ken Smith in Conversation, Boston, MA
7PM, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 617-278-5156
July 17, Woody Plant Conference, Swaarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA
July 14-16, International Hydrangea Conference, Sandwich, MA
Heritage Museum & Gardens, Sandwich, MA 508-888-3300

More New Plants 2015

Among the new shrubs from Bailey Nurseries:

First Editions® Toscana™ Barberry
(Berberis thunbergii 'BailJulia')

You've got to be careful where you use barberry, but the small hybrids don't seem to be as problematical as the straight species, which can be very invasive.

The foliage on this new one is gorgeous .. red with yellow margins and turning burgundy in fall.  Upright, arching character that reaches a height of 3-5 feet and spread of 2-4 feet.  Full sun, zones 4-7, bred by Don Selinger.

First Editions® Delta Blues™ Chastetree
(Vitex agnus-castus 'PlllVAC-l)

Chastetree is not often used much in landscape designs, perhaps because it gets too large, but this one might change your mind. It has a compact, upright growth habit with foliage that is not as coarse as other cultivars.  Height and spread of 8-10 feet, with dark, bluish-purple flowers and a pleasant scent.  Zones 6-9, takes full sun and is tolerant of salt, acid or alkaline soils.

First Editions® Funky Fuchsia™ Butterfly Bush
(Buddleia davidii 'PllBD-ll')

You just can't get enough vibrant color with a butterfly bush, so try this one, which has a very upright habit and a pronounced fragrance, along with the striking flowers. Foliage is dark green, which contrasts nicely with the blooms.  Six to eight feet high and wide, zones 5-9.  Bred by Plant Introductions, Inc.

Summer Ice Daphne
(Daphne caucasica 'Summer Ice')

Well, if you can get these finicky plants to grow in your yard, this is one you'd definitely want to try.  The fragrant white flowers appear in April and extend into the fall.  The semi-evergreen leaves have white margins, and the shrub has a nice mounded shapae at 4-5 feet high and 3-4 feet wide.  Full sun to part shade, zones 5-8.  A mass of them would be gorgeous in any garden setting (next to a patio or terrace where you can enjoy the fragrance).

 Check out all of Bailey's new 2015 plants at their website link, above.

Eco-Friendly Decking

photo: Tournesol - click to enlarge

If you're thinking of Ipe or a different South American hardwood, you might want to consider Boulevard® structural wood tiles or decking from Tournesol Siteworks. The lumber is typically red oak or ash from Minnesota or Wisconsin, treated at high temperatures in a special kiln.  The resulting wood tiles are said to be resistant to rot, decay, and pests, and the material weighs about half that of South American hardwoods.

The wood is also free of arsenic, chrome, and other hazardous metals that can be found in pressure treated wood.  I like the look of it, too.  It is a natural deep brown color that weathers to gray unless it is sealed, so there are definitely options.

And made in the USA makes it especially appealing.

 

Books: Soil Sense

The United Nations has declared 2015 the International Year of Soils in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of soils for future food security world-wide.  A General Assembly resolution says that soil conservation will also help all countries adapt to climate change, preserve essential ecosystems, alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development.

So what can we do here at home in our own backyards? You might want to start with one of the best books I've ever read on the subject.

In Building Soil: A Down-to-Earth Approach: Natural Solutions for Better Gardens & Yards (Cool Springs Press, 2015), author Elizabeth Murphy will help you kick-start your garden and give your flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs the boost they need to thrive for months and years. 

In a recent interview, Murphy, a soil scientist and gardener, says that in the age of industrial agriculture, "our intuitive knowledge of how to build healthy soils needs rediscovery." She's definitely in tune with the UN resolution, as she notes that "soil depletion and resulting environmental degradation results in famines, wars, and political upheaval."

At the back yard level, Murphy says that soil care is one of the most basic ways a homeowner can have a beneficial environmental impact.  Communities with healthy soils produce their own food, reduce water pollution, sequester carbon and reduce the possibilities of floods and landslides, creating sustainable neighborhoods. Soils, gardens, and our world, she says, are living ecosystems, and "everything is connected and interdependent." 

In her book, Murphy shows you how to recognize healthy soils, then offers a series of easy steps to help you get your own soil under control.  And she covers all the bases:  mulching, compost, weeds, fertilizers, organic matter, water, cover crops, you name it.  Drawings, photos, sidebars and tables beautifully illustrate the main concepts and make it easy to refer back to what you need.

Anyone who gardens or who designs gardens will find this book a very valuable reference.

 

More APLD Gold Awards 15

photos: Thorne, APLD

Landscape architect David Thorne won a 2015 gold award for this 10 acre reclamation project in Lafayette, CA.  The goal was to restore and repopulate the landscape with oaks and native grasses and provide the clients with a sustainable retreat, complete with pool, entertaining areas and an edible garden.

Designed with sustainability in mind, water is routed to percolate back into the soil, and water from the roof is also collected and recirculated. Native plantings are installed right up to the house, and live oaks -existing and new ones -- survive without much water.  Other native plants were selected to attract wildlife or provide habitat for birds and pollinating insects.  The design blurs the boundaries between the house and surrounding hillside, so there is little distinction between the natural and the built environment.

Another gold award went to designer Susan Cohan for the planting design at Lee Hill Farm in New Vernon, NJ.

photos: Cohan, APLD

The formal landscape at the 15 acre historic property (General Lafayette's winter headquarters during the Revolution) had fallen into disrepair, so Cohan restored the stonework, walkways and pond and added a steel arbor to support climbing roses.  Planting plans from the 1940s dictated the color palette of deep blues and pinks with yellow and white seasonal accents.

Low-maintenance perennials form the core of the planting plan:  peonies, bearded iris, Dianthus gratianopolitanus, Salvia nemerosa and Alchemilla mollis among them. A 100-year-old American elm creates shade on the terrace beneath it, and four Styrax japonica provide spring bloom.

Antiques for the Garden

NYBG Antiques Show & Sale
April 24-26

It's the 23rd annual Antique Garden Furniture Fair, with tons of offerings from more than 30 vendors.  It's the largest garden antiques fair in the country, with some of the finest items available.  The granite lanterns shown here, offered by Village Braider Antiques in Plymouth, MA, are from an estate built in 1873 for former Rhode Island Governor Augustus O. Born by architect James Renwick.

There's also a huge bronze sculpture by American artist Valerian Rybar c. 1970, that can be used indoors or outdoors, European antiques from the 18th century, a mushroom garden seat, and much, much more.

There will also be a plant sale, Q&A's with plant & antique experts, live music, and a Young Collectors' Evening on April 25th. And a Benefit Preview Party on Thursday, featuring decorator Bunny Williams.

NY Botanical Garden, Bronx NY. 718-817-8700

Books: British Landscape Designers

If you want to know who's who in the world of contemporary British garden design, this is definitely the book for you. Some designers will likely be familiar to you -- Tom Stuart Smith, Dan Pearson, Arabella Lennox-Boyd, Andy Sturgeon, just to mention a few -- but there are scores of others you'll meet for the first time.  In Great Garden Design: Contemporary Inspiration for Outdoor Spaces (Frances Lincoln Ltd), author Ian Hodgson profiles some 300 of the best garden designs from the last decade from over 50 top designers.

The book is comprised of five main chapters, with beautiful photos throughout.   Bold Visions, Great Designs focuses on garden styles, such as Urban Chic, Naturalistic, Water gardens, Contemporary, etc.  The main design principles for each style are simply explained, and there are photos of projects by different designers to illustrate each point. The Garden Gallery concentrates on design elements such as entrances, routes, illumination, and various planting styles.  Outdoor Experiences profiles gardens designed for relaxation, dining, playing, bathing.

And in keeping with current design trends, there's a chapter called Gardens with a Conscience that's a great guide to sustainable solutions: lowering the carbon footprint; recycling and repurposing; solar power, green roofs, rain gardens; creating habitats for wildlife. 

The final chapter is for homeowners and it explains how to assess one's landscape and soil quality, and most important of all, how to commission a designer.  An additional plus is a directory of designers (with web addresses) -- all members of Britain's Society of Garden Designers.

This book is filled with simply fabulous ideas on all aspects of garden design, and it's likely to become a well-thumbed reference in years to come.

If you're more into classic British garden style, then you'll certainly want to consider First Ladies of Gardening: Designers, Dreamers and Divas (Frances Lincoln Ltd) by landscape architect Heidi Howcroft.  According to Howcroft, a number of visionary women, including Vita Sackville-West, Beth Chatto, Rosemary Verey, defined the English garden.  A number of women are carrying on that same tradition, with a somewhat modern twist. 

Howcroft profiles 14 gardens and the women who brought them to life.  There a history of each garden, along with lovely photos, and a great addition is guiding principles for each and signature plants.

Next time you're in London, check the schedule of the National Gardens Scheme and see if you can catch Sue Whittington's country garden -- Southwood Lodge -- in in Highgate (North London). You will not be disappointed.

APLD Gold Awards IV

images: APLD-St. John click to enlarge

Patricia St. John of St. John Landscapes is an expert at designing small, relatively inexpensive gardens.  She won another APLD gold award this year for City Gem, a 1250 sq. foot garden in San Francisco with views of the city.

St. John installed a modern landscape with clean, simple lines that includes a three foot tall deck, a mid-level garden, and a lower terrace.  There's easy access from the house to the raised vegetable/herb beds on the deck level. At mid-level, St. John designed pathways, and there's room for a bench and a sandbox with a screen and latch to keep the cat out.

  Low-maintenance plantings prevail throughout, including evergreen grasses and vines, succulents, burgundy cordylines and groundcovers.  St. John also managed to save an existing avocado tree, an escallonia and euonymus shrubs that provide a substantial screen.

It's a city gem indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to fit with the renovated three-story home,

Plant Miracles: Water from Air

photo: Shigeru Yamanaka

Maybe it sounds a little far-fetched, but by the end of the century, we may be planting acres of certain plants to alleviate a water shortage.

Researchers at Japan's Shinshu University studied plants with tiny conical "hairs" or microfibers on the surface of leaves and they believe that the plants' abilities to collect and release water may one day inspire a new technology that can pull water out of the air.

They studied Lichnis sieboldii in detail, but similar plants that have the same characteristics include Berkheya purpurea, tomatoes and balsam pears.

Professor Shigeru Yamanaka said the researchers honed in on the microstructure of the plants with an advanced electron microscope and recorded a movie that shows dynamic changes involved in the water collection process.  "These plants give us great ideas worth mimicking," he said.  "Advanced fiber technology can be used to 'replicate' the plant hair's fiber 'net structure' and enable the development of an apparatus capable of collecting water from the air in arid regions of the world."

Pretty amazing.

 

In the Magazines April-June 2015

Sunset April
*Native Plants:
*Designer Lauren Springer Ogden's Plains Sanctuary in Fort Collins, CO; *LA Tom Rau's Coastal Retreat in Los Angeles;
*Desert Drama by LA Steve Martino in Paradise Valley, AZ;
*Suburban Woodland in Shoreline, WA.

Landscape Architecture April
* Chicago's 2.7 mile elevated rail park, the 606, opens in June
* New Plants for 2015
* Works of Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects: West Point Foundry Preserve, Hudson River Park, the South Bronx Greenway, plus profile of firm.

 

The American Gardener March/April
*Lilacs for modern gardens
*How to design an inviting garden
*Nativars: ie, cultivars of native plants -- how well do they work?
* Native American berry plants

 

Better Homes & Gardens April
*21 New Garden Ideas, including:
*DIY firepit
* BIG containers
* Raised beds of rusted steel
* New 2015 summer annuals
* Outdoor ideas from designer Alissa Shanley of Denver

Fine Gardening June
*Designing with ground covers
*Designing with red plants
*Fragrant plants
*Shrubs for small spaces