Blue Planet Garden Blog

Vancouver Design Inspiration

A while back when I told a friend I was thinking of a driving visit to the Northeast, she began to enthusiastically list the gardens I should visit. But the reality is, when I’m on vacay, I don’t necessarily WANT to visit a lot of gardens. This is partly in difference to my husband, who already tolerates a LOT of shoptalk around our house when my gardener friends drop by. Beyond that, a vacation is supposed to be a break from work, even when it is work that you love. So a garden or park has to be pretty special to earn a spot on our itinerary.

A perfect example is Stanley Park, where we spent the day on a recent visit to Vancouver. This park has it all, and one of the things that makes it so special is its diversity.

We started out on the water side, where we admired beautiful views of the bay and city skyline, interspersed with small, scenic beaches.

A short detour into the interior brought us to the collection of totem poles the park is famed for.

As we climbed higher, the topography changed to a woodsy scene, but the views over the trees were equally beautiful.

Stopping for lunch at Prospect Point restaurant meant more views...

...complemented by the lush landscaping on the restaurant grounds.

After refreshing ourselves, we headed back via the interior of the park, where a dense canopy shading a dense, fern-dominated undergrowth made us feel we were in a totally different place than the breezy, ocean view trek we’d enjoyed on the way in.

As we got closer to the city, the park changed once again, as we ambled through wide lawns complemented by carefully curated plant beds.

We ended with a stroll around a small lake, which brought us back to the city proper.

So what design lessons did I walk away with? Landscapes have the ability to feed our senses in numerous ways, whether that way is...

thoughtful and cerebral...

...meditative and calming

or cultivated and curated.

A visit to a place as diverse as Stanley Park reminds me of the power landscapes and gardens have, and while a suburban backyard is a far cry from a world-renounced park, great design reflects the power of nature, no matter how humble the canvas.

Small Space Garden Design – Welcome to my Garden!

I’ve included photos from my own garden in posts from time to time, but I haven’t done a complete virtual tour since my last renovation in 2009. Ready for an update?

 The side yard view is still our favorite.

 

But the whole garden is shaping up nicely.

 

In January I replaced the original flagstone stepping stone and gravel path with flagstone set in DG. Although it’s not as artistic as the original (I mixed three different sizes of gravel and hand-set the largest), it IS much easier to keep free of debris. Placing high-maintenance hardscape under messy trees is a rookie mistake that I would never make with a client, but somehow my better judgment occasionally goes missing in my own garden.

 

 

I’ve continued to introduce bright splashes of color throughout the yard, both by adding colored panels and more containers. I still take a fearless approach to color, but admit to swapping out the original Purple Riot wall for a more subdued shade of acid green.

 

Five years ago I had three containers…today I counted 23. I might have been late to the container gardening craze, but I’m catching up with a vengeance. Succulents are my go to choice for spots not reached by drip, and as an added conservation bonus, the amount of excess shower water we collect in a week is more than enough to water all of them with.

There aren’t many places sunny enough for vegetables, but of course I make room for my favorite herbs and at least one cherry tomato.

 

 Overplanting is still a bit of an addiction for me. There really isn’t room for a Salvia ‘Amistad’ in front of the ‘Guardsman’ Phormium, but the carpenter bees have made it QUITE CLEAR it needs to stay.

 

Oh yeah, and the hummers like it, too.

 

A new fountain introduced this year has proven to be a HUGE hit with the birds. As many as four cutie pies at a time splash around here during the day. The flow rate is set low, and although the sound of water falling into the basin below is muted, it makes the fountain suitable for birds as small as hummers – as long as they are persistent.

 

Not everything has changed. Some of my favorite individual plants remain the same, including my most reliable fence tamer, flowering maple

 

And looooong blooming dwarf lion's tail.

The best thing about a garden that welcomes birds and bees? I might work at home most days, but I can always count on company. Thanks for visiting!

2014 Garden Book Round-up

Updated 6-24: Timberpress is running a contest! Click here for a chance to win a $250 nursery gift certificate and a copy of Hellstrip Gardening!

 

Busy with clients and with my own garden, I’ve been neglecting my blog of late. But  while I may have let blogging slide, in my ongoing search for design inspiration and gardening advice, I’ve still made time to check out the latest crop of garden books. Here are three that caught my attention:

Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden  by Niki Jabbour

More than a short-lived trend, food gardening is firmly in the mainstream, and Groundbreaking Food Gardens book offers a range of ideas that go beyond the traditional. I’ve always been a sucker for garden plans (in fact, they are the preferred form of wall art in my office) and this book offers many to savor. I was flattered that author Niki Jabbour chose to include the cocktail garden I designed two years ago for Amy Stewart, but believe me, a garden planted with cocktail ingredients and garnishes is downright tame compared to some of the other plans featured. Hot Dog garden, anyone? Most plans favor the practical over the exotic, however, and are designed to solve problems such as too much shade or limited space, or to appeal to a specific palette, like culinary herbs or foods for canning. You can read the more in-depth review I wrote for the Spring issue of The Designer here (page 24), and see more garden plans from the book.

Amy Stewart's cocktail garden. Illustration by Mary Ellen Carsley

Hellstrip Gardening: Create a Paradise between the Sidewalk and the Curb by Evelyn Haddon

Hellstrip Gardening, tackles an oft-neglected part of the landscape – those overlooked pockets of landscape that languish between the sidewalk and the street, or alongside driveways and alleyways. As many of my clients have limited garden space, I’m always interested in strategies to maximize every square inch of real estate available. The first section of the book (my favorite) is titled inspirations, and is packed with luscious photos of gardens that have been transformed from hellstrip to a little slice of heaven. Hellstrip Gardening offers more than just inspiration, covering strategies for a range of challenging situations, environmentally-friendly guidance on creating and maintaining a curbside garden and profiles for over 100 plants. I’m a long time fan of Evelyn’s work and this book doesn’t disappoint.

photograph by Josh McCullough

The 20-30 Something Garden Guide: A No-Fuss, Down and Dirty, Gardening 101 for Anyone Who Wants to Grow Stuff by Dee Nash

You might be surprised to hear I like this book because, you know, I’m OLD, but there is plenty to interest those just getting started down the path of gardening, regardless of age. While the guide is an all-around good book for anyone in the first stages of planning a garden, it narrows in on specific areas that I’ve learned from my own clients are of particular interest to Millenials, who tend to garden in smaller spaces and are interested in gardening for reasons other than just ornamental beauty or curb appeal. The first section is devoted to container gardening, while the middle portion of the book is dedicated to growing food in either the front or back yard. Additionally, the sections on planning and designing a garden recognize that younger gardeners gravitate towards connectedness, and recommends plants based in part on the sensory experiences they can provide. More information and garden advice is available on the book's blog.

The Designer magazine - re-imagined, re-designed...and free!

In between designing gardens and traveling here and there on speaking engagements, I’ve had been working on another project that I’m excited to share with you. This year I became editor in chief of The Designer, the quarterly magazine from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. The spring issue is now available!

Previously available only to members or with a traditional hard copy subscription, The Designer has moved to an all digital format and is now free to everyone! But that’s not the only change. The magazine has been completely re-designed and re-imagined for 2014, including new departments, new contributors, and content that reflects a wide diversity of topics related to landscape design. I’m fortunate to be working with Marti Golon, a seasoned consumer magazine art director, who has brought her considerable talent to the table, and helped to create a fresh and engaging look.

Features range from short and practical columns on technology and business, to more in depth articles as part of our recurring  “Design 101” and “Design Master Class” features. The most well received so far, however, is “Pro Plant Picks,” where designers shine the spotlight on favorite plants from their own region.

Whether you are a designer or an outdoor enthusiast, please consider signing up for an online subscription. And don’t skip my editor’s letter – I’m looking for your feedback!

See the magazine here

Subscribe here

 

Bay Area Garden Events – March 2014

As winter winds down and spring begins to tease us with a few early blooms, what better month than March to take in a gardening presentation or workshop? Here are a couple of events happening in the Bay Area this month.

Filoli

The Clocktower at Filoli, taken at last year's Garden Bloggers Fling

Billy Goodnick, landscape architect and author of Yards: Turn Any Outdoor Space into the Garden of Your Dreams is leading an all day design workshop at beautiful Filoli on March 15. Billy's promise: "Spend your Saturday with me and you'll come away enlightened, inspired and entertained." Details on Design Like a Pro: Demystifying the Art of Garden Design are on the Filoli website.

 

San Francisco Flower and Garden Show

In addition to the usual impressive list of speakers (including Rebecca Sweet on Wednesday, March 19 giving a terrific talk on making over your side yard), the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show has a few new things on tap this year.

 

For an additional fee, several of the speakers will be holding hands on workshops, including noted photographers Saxon Holt on Finding the Photo and David Perry on using your iPhone to photograph your garden.

 

Edible gardeners, the show has you covered as well: Nan Sterman will help you create a vegetable and herb garden you can take home with you. Space is limited, so don't delay. Details on all workshops are here--or heck, just go straight to the purchase tickets page.

 

The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) is also offering something new at the show. Sign up in advance, and for a nominal fee, receive 30 minutes of design consultation from a professional designer. Although I won’t be one of the designers on tap, I can vouch for the high caliber of advice that will be given. Details here. Even better, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to Kids Growing Strong, an organization that empowers familes and caregivers to inspire children to adopt healthy lifestyles via nutrition and exercise.

I'll be at the opening gala Tuesday night and wandering the floor on Thursday so keep an eye out for me (I'll be the one lugging a camera and looking for a spot to stash my flat of plants).

 

Contra Costa Master Gardeners Great Tomato Sale

All that was left of some varieites on offer at the Master Gardener Great Tomato Sale in 2012. Get there early for the best selection.

I know the title says March events, but if you're like me and dreaming of your first bite of a juicy, homegrown tomato, then mark your calendars NOW for the Contra Costa County Master Gardeners tomato sale. April 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Our Garden in Walnut Creek, the sale offers the best selection of locally propogated tomatoes in Contra Costa. Other veggies and (hopefully) worm compost will also be on sale - come early for the best selection as we do sell out.

Hope to see you at least some of you while I'm out and about this spring!