garden design | Gardening

Vieux Carre Commission honors work to preserve French Quarter

Longtime French Quarter resident and activist attorney Stuart Smith received the Elizebeth T. Werlein Award, the highest honor given by the Vieux Carre Commission, when the commission presented architectural awards last week for the second time since Hurricane Katrina. The awards covered projects completed in the French Quarter from 2008 through 2011.

Stuart Smith

In presenting the Werlein award, Nathan Chapman, the 2008 recipient, described Smith as “tireless in his pro bono legal work for the French Quarter.” Smith has helped create and set preservation law through his lawsuits, “some of which have gone to the state Supreme Court, setting important precedents,” Chapman said.

Smith has often battled what he considered illegal commercial intrusions into residential parts of the Quarter and businesses that he said create excessive noise. In 2003 he led an effort to expand the commission’s authority over changes of use in historic buildings. Previously, the commission took the position that it had no authority to authorize or block a change of use, only to regulate architectural changes.

The Werlein Award, established in 1986 as part of the commission’s 50th anniversary celebration, honors individuals and groups who have made “distinguished contributions to the preservation of the Vieux Carre.” It is named for Elizebeth Werlein, who in 1936 led the successful effort to amend the state Constitution to authorize creation of a body to oversee preservation of the Vieux Carre.

Commission Chairman Ralph Lupin and Director Lary Hesdorffer presented the architectural awards, which recognize excellence in restoration, renovation, reconstruction, rehabilitation and new construction.

The commission formerly presented awards every year, but since Katrina it had held only one previous ceremony, in 2008, honoring projects completed during 2004-07.

Certificates of honor, the commission’s top architectural awards, went to the following properties:

1218-20 Burgundy St.: Jon Kemp and John Reed, owners; Frank Masson and Rick Fifield, architects. A certificate of honor was awarded for preservation of this c. 1810 cottage, outbuildings and double courtyards. Built for Jose Antonio La Rionda, it was later used as a school, and it was known for many years until its sale in 2006 by the city as the Cabrini Doll Museum. (Masson, an architect with Barry Fox and Associates, began work on this and two of the other award-winning projects before his death in 2009.)

618-22 Gov. Nicholls St.: 618-20 Gov. Nicholls LLC, owners; Frank Masson and Robert Cangelosi Jr. (Koch and Wilson Architects), architects; Alvarez + Basik Design Group, landscape designers; Paddison Builders Associates, contractor. A certificate of honor was presented for restoration and renovation of two buildings as a family home: a c. 1870 Italianate building at the rear of the property and an 1828 Creole-style brick double townhouse at the street constructed for Mrs. John Clay, sister-in-law of U.S. Sen. Henry Clay. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the buildings housed the Notre Dame Academy of the Sacred Heart.

910 and 914 Toulouse St.: Tooloose LLC, owner; Trapolin-Peer Architects, architect; Rene Fransen, landscape architect; Vintage Construction, contractor. A certificate of honor was presented for restoration of two c. 1815 brick-between-posts Creole cottages, a service building and a spacious courtyard.

922 Ursulines St.: David and Julie Benson, owners; Julie Benson, designer; Rene Fransen, landscape architect. A certificate of honor was presented for restoration and renovation of this c. 1820 townhouse. The current owners took a rundown multiplex structure and converted it into a family home, in the process reopening the carriageway and removing later additions.

Certificates of merit, the second level of recognition, went to the following properties:

706-708 Barracks St.: Jon Green and David Longwood, owners; Charles A. Berg, architect. For renovation of this c. 1820 masonry Creole cottage, once occupied by John James Audubon.

1028 Bourbon St.: Patricia Bond Marino and Anthony Marino, owners; Ransdell Restorations LLC, contractor. For renovation of this c. 1850 Greek revival townhouse and outbuildings, a project interrupted by a devastating fire.

1227 Bourbon St.: Lauricella Bourbon Properties LLC, owner; William Sabella and Tammy Massey, architects; Genbuilt Construction, contractor. For renovation of this 1887 frame shotgun cottage, formerly part of the Maison Hospitaliere complex, into a single-family home,

828 Chartres St: Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Lupin, owners; Frank Masson, architect. For restoration of this prototypical Creole-style townhouse as an intimate family home.

815 Dauphine St.: South Louisiana Petroleum Co., owner; Historic Investments LLC, project manager. For restoration of this c. 1860 side-hall townhouse and two service buildings into spacious residential units.

332 Exchange Alley: Four JCM LLC, owner; Charles Silbernagel, architect. For demolition of an early 20th century structure and reconstruction of the c. 1837 3 1/2-story building that formerly stood on the site.

721 723 Gov. Nicholls St.: Tom Regan and Susan Gillebrand, owners; John C. Williams Architects, architect; Patrick Dunne, designer. For “sustaining preservation” over several decades of the Thierry House, an 1814 early Greek revival-style building by noted architect Benjamin Latrobe’s son Henry, and the neighboring converted fire station.

627 St. Peter St.: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Winingder, owners; Lyons Hudson Architects. For renovation of this long-neglected townhouse, one in a group of 11 constructed around 1840 for Madame Jean Baptiste Labranche.

Special recognition was given to two unique projects:

The Antique Rose Garden in Louis Armstrong Park: City of New Orleans Department of Parks and Parkways, owner; New Orleans Old Garden Rose Society, project manager; and Leo Watermeier, curator. A special certificate of recognition for neighborhood beautification was presented to honor the planting and upkeep of a variety of old roses in this public area just across North Rampart Street from the Vieux Carre.

St. Anthony’s Garden at 720 Royal St.: Archdiocese of New Orleans, owner (Monsignor Crosby Kern, rector); Shannon Dawdy, archaeologist; Louis Benech, landscape architect. A special certificate of recognition was presented for archaeological exploration and historical garden design of this important space.

Certificates of recognition went to the following:

531 Bienville St.: Bienville French Quarter Properties, Ron and Shelia Rivet, owners; Rodney Ratliff, architect. For rehabilitation of an unused and blighted warehouse into two residential condominium units.

1101 Bourbon St./809 Ursulines St.: M.F.P, owner; Patrick Tucker (Design Collaborative LLC), architect. For rehabilitation of an early 19th century service building from storage space to residential use.

1201 Bourbon St.: Kyle and Patricia Schonekas, owners; Rick Fifield, architect. For renovation of this late 19th century corner store and residence into an updated family home.

841 Burgundy St.: Leland VanDeventer, owner. For rehabilitation of this row house, designed by James Gallier Sr., that was under renovation at the time of Katrina and consequently was severely damaged.

1026 Conti St.: Bob and Shawn O’Brien, owners; James Cripps, architect. For rehabilitation of this long-vacant townhouse, which gained notoriety in the 1940s and 1950s as the home of the city’s “last madam,” Norma Wallace.

1305 Decatur St.: the Daulton family, owner; James Cripps, architect. For rehabilitation of this neglected c. 1835 townhouse for mixed residential and commercial use, including the innovative installation of a fire sprinkler system.

214 Royal St.: Hotel Monteleone LLC, owner; WDG and SCNZ Architects, architects. For renovation and long-term preservation of this historic hotel, including recent modification of ground-floor windows and doors at 222-32 Royal.

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Bruce Eggler can be reached at beggler@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3320.

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Central Garden & Pet Company Named as Finalist in 2012 American Business …

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WALNUT CREEK, Calif., May 29, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
Central Garden Pet Company

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, a leading
innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the
lawn and garden and pet supplies markets, is proud to announce that its
Adams(TM) Smart Shield(TM) Applicator was recently named a finalist in the
Best New Product category for the consumer product industry in The 2012
American Business Awards (ABA), and will ultimately be a Gold, Silver,
or Bronze Stevie Award winner in the program.

The American Business Awards are the nation’s premier business awards
program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to
submit nominations — public and private, for-profit and non-profit,
large and small.

For the first time, The American Business Awards will be presented at
two awards events: the ABA’s traditional banquet on Monday, June 18 in
New York, and a new awards event on Monday, September 17 in San
Francisco.

More than 3,000 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in
virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a
wide range of categories.

The recently launched Adams(TM) Smart Shield(TM) Applicator is a breakthrough
topical flea and tick control delivery device with an exclusive,
patent-pending design that gets fast, effective treatment down to pets’
skin, where bugs live. The applicator delivers a more confident, secure,
and easy application of Adams(TM) Flea Tick Spot On(R) topical treatment,
which starts killing fleas and ticks in 15 minutes and helps prevent
re-infestation for up to two months. Designed with input from
veterinarians and consumers, this ground-breaking new product is also
the first of its kind.

“We conducted multiple rounds of research and explored over 70 design
concepts to create a flea and tick product that would fully satisfy pet
owners looking to effectively treat pets,” said Steve LeVeau, Director
of Marketing — Animal Health for Central Garden Pet Company. “We are
honored that our efforts have been recognized by an esteemed group of
industry experts and are very grateful to be chosen as a finalist for
the American Business Awards.”

Finalists were chosen by more than 140 business professionals nationwide
during preliminary judging in April and May. More than 150 members of 10
specialized judging committees will determine Stevie Award placements
from among the finalists during final judging that took place May 14-25.

Details about The American Business Awards and the list of finalists in
all categories are available at
www.stevieawards.com/aba .

About Adams(TM)

Adams(TM) products take a smarter approach to pet care and makes protecting
your pet, family and home easier and more effective. The Adams(TM) line of
products, which has been sold by veterinarians for more than 30 years,
includes topical treatments, shampoos, collars and sprays for dogs,
puppies, cats, kittens, and products for home treatments and is
available almost everywhere pet products are sold. For a complete
product list and more information, visit
www.adamsfleacontrol.com .

About Central Garden Pet

Central Garden Pet Company is a leading innovator, marketer and
producer of quality branded products for the lawn garden and pet
supplies markets. Committed to new product innovation, our products are
sold to specialty independent and mass retailers. Participating
categories in Lawn Garden include: Grass seed and the brands
PENNINGTON(R), SMART SEED(R) and THE REBELS(R); wild bird feed and the brand
PENNINGTON(R); weed and insect control and the brands AMDRO(R), SEVIN(R),
IRONITE(R) and OVER-N-OUT(R); and decorative outdoor patio products and the
brands NORCAL POTTERY(R), NEW ENGLAND POTTERY(R) and MATTHEWS FOUR SEASONS(TM).
We also provide a host of other regional and application-specific garden
brands and supplies. Participating categories in Pet include: Animal
health and the brands ADAMS(TM) and ZODIAC(R); aquatics and reptile and the
brands OCEANIC SYSTEMS(R), AQUEON(R) and ZILLA(R); bird small animal and the
brands KAYTEE(R), SUPER PET(R) and CRITTER TRAIL(R); dog cat and the brands
TFH(TM), NYLABONE(R), FOUR PAWS(R), PINNACLE(R) and AVODERM(R); and equine and the
brands FARNAM(R), VITA FLEX(R) and HORSE HEALTH(TM) PRODUCTS. We
also provide a host of other application-specific pet brands and
supplies. Central Garden Pet Company is based in Walnut Creek,
California, and has approximately 4,000 employees, primarily in North
America. For additional information on Central Garden Pet Company,
including access to the Company’s SEC filings, please visit the
Company’s website at
www.central.com .

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business
Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women
in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales Customer Service.
Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind
them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace
worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at
www.stevieawards.com .

SOURCE: Central Garden Pet Company



        
        Central Garden  Pet Company 
        Mark Newberg, 847-330-5367 
        mnewberg@central.com

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Hotelier eyes show return

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Published at 13:08, Monday, 28 May 2012

A PASSIONATE South Lakeland garden designer is planning to enter the Chelsea Flower Show next year.

Jonathan Denby, who owns four hotels in the area including the Newby Bridge and Damson Dene, announced he intends to design a Chelsea garden after visiting the festival this week.

He is now working on plans to construct a Lake District themed garden – in a bid to help promote the area.

“It’s been incredibly inspirational to see the entries this year and chat to many of the garden designers,” he said.

“I was particularly impressed with the Pennine Garden which was one of two artisan gardens to win gold.

“It promotes Yorkshire and the Pennines in a very effective way.”

Mr Denby won a silver medal at Chelsea in 2010 with The Victorian Aviary Garden which he co-designed with Phillipa Pearson.

And last year he entered the Gardening World Cup in Japan – a contest intended to rival its world famous Chelsea counterpart.

Mr Denby, who kindled his love for garden design at his Grange home, Yewbarrow House, explained: “I’m talking to sponsors at the moment who may be interested in becoming involved in a Chelsea entry next year.

“I haven’t yet decided whether the entry would be a full show garden or an artisan garden. I’ve got some good ideas for both of them.”

Mr Denby said his visit to this year’s festival allowed him to catch up with friends from the gardening world. These included Bob and Cath Sanderson, from Cath’s Garden Plants, based in the kitchen garden at Heaves Hotel, near Levens, and Kazayuki Ishihara, who won gold with his artisan garden.

Mr Denby also chatted to gardening television presenter Diarmuid Gavin as he experienced his award-winning, seven-storey Westland Magical Tower Garden.

He told the Evening Mail: “It was really quite wonderful – a lift operated by Diamuid himself took us up four floors, we then scaled another three sets of ladders before a shoot took us to the bottom.

“It was the greatest fun but incredibly scary.”

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk

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Brooklyn Botanical Garden Visitor Center features a 10000 square foot living roof

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The new Visitor Center at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens officially opened its doors earlier this month and was inaugurated with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Bloomberg. Designed by the New York based architectural firm Weiss/Manfredi, the center merges modern architecture with landscape design that blends together Brooklyn’s urban and garden environments.

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“The Visitor Center is both an extension and elevation of the Garden’s topography, softening the transition from city to garden – and allowing us a significant new way to model how plants can fit into urban environments,” said Scot Medbury, president of the Gardens.

The impressive 10,000 square foot (929 square meter) garden roof is the center’s main attraction, and is the new home to over 40,000 plant types including bulbs, grasses and wildflower. But it doesn’t end there. A estimated 60,000 additional plants surround the building, too. This explosion of plant life combines with the landscape design to realize the architect’s vision of an urban oasis and a visitor center that is brimming with life. “We envisioned the Visitor Center as a living interface that creates an invitation from the city into the Garden – a demonstration of the compelling reciprocity between architecture and landscape.” said architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi.

The 20,000 square foot (1858 square meter) Visitor Center almost camouflages itself into the surrounding landscape, having being built into an existing hill. Inside the building, dramatic floor-to-ceiling curved glass walls open out into the surrounding parkland and themed gardens. Winding walkways guide visitors through the center while offering views of the external landscape and the sense of actually meandering through the gardens. The fritted glass walls allow natural light to filter through the building, while added vertical lines hopes to prevent birds from flying into the glass panels.

In addition to the expansive living roof landscape, the Visitor Center has incorporated a number of sustainable initiatives into its design, including a geothermal heating and cooling system. By building into a berm at the north end, the structure taps into the a geothermal energy source that increases the building’s thermal efficiency. This “geoexchange system” is primarily used to heat and cool the building’s interior. Furthermore a collection of gray water gardens surround the building which have been specifically designed to collect and filter runoff, aiding the center’s storm-water management system.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Visitor Center includes an orientation room, information lobby, gift shop, exhibition gallery, cafe, and an elliptical events space.

Sources: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Weiss/Manfredi

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A visit to the gardens of Barnsley, Gloucestershire

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Day of reckoning

As the date of the garden festival approached, I began to wonder what I had
got myself into. As I always tell people, “I am just a gardener”. I have
never regarded gardening as “competitive” and the idea of “judging” the
gardens of others is anathema to me. I realised that I would probably have
to evaluate gardens in the village that had been originally designed by Mrs
Verey and also that very probably the garden and herb nursery of her
daughter Davina Wynne-Jones would also be stirred into the soup of the day.

So what exactly is it that I really like about certain gardens, while others
just don’t quite float my boat? I had to do some serious thinking and make
up a grown-up checklist of things to consider.

Evidence of enjoyment

In the event all I managed to do was come to the conclusion that a good garden
is one in which the enjoyment, personality and, yes, skill, of the owner
shines out. And that this can, but need not, include fancy or formal design.

But would this rather unquantifiable, unsophisticated way of looking at it be
good enough? Would I ruffle local feathers if I simply used gut feelings to
decide on a winner in the rarefied horticultural world of Barnsley? I
discussed all this with Richard Gatenby, the amiable and wise head gardener
at the (now) Barnsley House Hotel, as we walked from garden to garden around
the village, the trees dressed in their fresh May foliage, the hedges lush
with cow parsley in full sail. We decided I should just go for it and be
damned.

It did not take me long to decide: I gave the Herbs for Healing garden and
nursery third prize despite the almost complete lack of colour in it. Herb
gardens only really come into their own in high summer, of course, and I
would have liked to have seen some burgeoning alliums or some such. However,
the splendidly eccentric huge circular wooden feature using gnarled dead
hawthorn stumps that dominates the place did it for me, as did the tables
laden with well-labelled herbs that Davina propagates and sells
(herbsforhealing.net).

Second prize went to Yvonne and Paul Bennetts, whose garden was one of those
designed by Mrs Verey for a previous owner, but who have, during the years
they have tended it, gained the confidence to adapt and change bits of the
planting that had grown threadbare, thus moving the garden on while
retaining its Verey hallmark. They find, for example, that ‘Hidcote’
lavender does better than the original ‘Munstead’, and are experimenting
with different “infill” plants in a little knot garden to suit themselves.

But the prize for the best garden went to Beryl and Paul Le Bars, who for 20
years have worked together on a small terraced plot behind a cottage so
adjacent to the church that a huge stained-glass window in its wall
wonderfully dominates the garden (“Evensong in winter is magic,” they said).

The garden is quite shady and they have planted it well, with appropriate,
low-maintenance, shade-tolerant ferns, dicentras and hellebores carpeting
the ground under trees (lilies were just coming up through it all). In the
lighter parts there is a productive vegetable patch; hidden from view are
exemplary wooden compost bins and they have a packed greenhouse full of
treasures. And there is a rare thing, too: an immaculately trimmed, arched
hedge of leylandii separates the lawn from the vegetable patch.

Everywhere you looked there was evidence of enjoyment and know-how. But it
wasn’t just about good gardening. There were unusual visual touches, too,
such as the small stand of variegated white honesty – wonderfully stark
against the clipped dark hedge. Elsewhere a touch of quirkiness made me jump
out of my skin: a friend who makes life-sized wire-netting sculptures had
lent them a sedentary see-through “ghost” for the day, complete with an
expectant-looking see-through Jack Russell. Whatever way you looked at it –
or indeed through it – this really was the “best” garden that day.

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How does you garden grow? With a design plan

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A garden can be defined many ways: a plot of land used for the growing of flowers, vegetables, herbs and trees; an area of fertile, cultivated property; even as a verb “to lay out, develop or tend.”

The key point in all these definitions is a plan. A garden is an intentional thing, deliberately selected, composed and arranged. In other words, a garden has a design.

Of course, garden design isn’t a rigid, by-the-book formula. It’s a constantly changing interaction between what the gardener wants and what the plants and the environment will support. But there are several design principles that you can use to get your garden to look its best. Once you have them down, a garden practically designs itself.

Balance. Plants and other “hardscape” elements in a garden, like decks, paths or even rocks, have visual weight that needs to be balanced so everything appears in proportion.

Symmetrical balance mirrors elements on each side of a dividing line, like identical groups of plants on either side of a birdbath or fountain. It creates a formal look.

Asymmetrical balance also has organization and stability, but looks more natural and random. A tall evergreen and low, mounded shrubs standing opposite a group of open, airy perennials around that same fountain would create a more casual look.

Repetition. Duplicating forms, textures, colors or sizes makes a garden easier to look at. It can be an obvious repetition of the same alternating flowers marching down the front of a border, or more subtle, like repeating the shapes of shrubs or trees or even structures.

Repetition sets the rhythm with which the eye moves around the garden. Evenly spaced plants produce a predictable, well-controlled, peaceful feeling; staggered, uneven repetition will have a bouncy, energetic effect.

Focal Point. A garden needs at least one object or area that is noticed first and most often. A focal point is the visual “hook” that demands attention and stimulates interest.

A bright red, highly textured Japanese maple standing among smaller, more or less green plants, or a sparkling, splashing waterfall would instantly attract your gaze. A focal point leads visitors to a specific place in the landscape, and encourages them to explore the spaces around it and then return again and again.

Contrast. In order to hold attention and create excitement, things have to stand out from each other. Contrasting the sizes, shapes, colors and textures in a perennial bed, for instance, keeps the bed from becoming boring.

Use contrast sparingly, though. Choose one or two contrasting elements, like small green leaves against broad, variegated ones, or tall, vertical forms against low, mounding shapes. Too much individuality creates a confusing, unplanned jumble.

Movement. Some gardens seem to invite you to come and explore every corner and curve; others invite stillness and reflection. The effect is created with different kinds of lines.

Straight lines are typically found in very formal, geometric, symmetrical gardens. They often meet at sharp angles and move the eye very quickly and crisply through the landscape. Curved lines are found in more natural, organic and informal gardens.

You can direct a visitor’s movement in your garden by arranging straight and curved lines to speed them up or slow them down to admire a particular view. Imagine a path, bordered with gently rhythmic, repeating groups of plants curving toward a tall garden arbor focal point, enticing you to come and see what’s waiting just around the corner out of sight. All those elements working together brings us to …

Unity. It’s hard to describe, but you know it when you see it. All the garden’s individual parts make sense together. They feel right. More importantly, they express what you really had in mind when you imagined your perfect garden.

Now that you know the principles of design, you’ll find yourself looking for them in every landscape, and recognize why some gardens not only look better, but feel better than others, too.

Joe Lamp’l is host of “Growing a Greener World” on PBS. Visit www.joegardener.com.

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Tips for growing a garden in a city

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Moving to a tiny apartment in a big city doesn’t mean you have to give up your green thumb. Here are some tips for growing plants and produce in an urban setting.

Think vertically
“When you hardly have room to store your groceries, finding room to grow produce is another big challenge,” says Ric Scicchitano, the senior vice president of food and beverage at Corner Bakery Café. He suggests trying a vertical vegetable garden, using hanging baskets and small containers or utilizing shelves to garden without taking up a lot of valuable space.

“Compact varieties and herbs do well in hanging baskets, but other produce will thrive in something as small as a pot or container,” Scicchitano says. “I’m a big fan of pairing tomato and basil together when I’m cooking and find it easy to combine these in beds or planters while they’re growing, too.”

Find the right location
William Moss, an expert urban gardener with Miracle-Gro, says that herbs tend to grow well in urban environments if you can find the right location for them. Look for a window that receives good light, ideally from the south or west. He adds that you should plan to rotate pots to keep the plants growing straight and tall, as the plants will send out new growth in the direction of the sunlight.

“Basil and parsley, in particular, have a wonderful scent and are relatively easy to grow,” Moss says. “One note on mint — this herb spreads quickly and can become unmanageable in the yard. So instead, plant mint in containers where they do extremely well.”

Moss says that the key to successfully growing a plant in a hanging garden is to keep it well-watered but not over-watered.

“The trick is to allow soil to become mostly dry to the touch,” he says. If you put your finger in the potting mix up to your first knuckle and the soil feels dry, Moss says it’s time to water.

Look for a community garden
If you want to garden the traditional way, you can get involved with a community garden in your area.

“Most programs allow you to care for your own plot completely on your own and take home anything that you harvest,” Scicchitano says. “Many urban environments have a few and the community-aspect of the garden allows gardeners to share and swap produce for more variety.”

Check out the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) website to locate a nearby community garden.

Find plants that thrive in the shade
Scicchitano points out that the urban gardener may run into problems finding a space with enough direct sunlight. Scicchitano’s recommendation for circumventing this problem is to plant items like lettuce and greens, which will grow with limited exposure to direct sunlight.

Even if you live in an urban environment and have the yard space, you may still have to deal with heavily shaded gardens. Jessy Berg, the president and co-founder of the Palo Alto, Calif.-based online landscaping design company Habitat Design, suggests the following plants and flowers for shaded spaces:

Ferns
Hosta
Hydrangea
Bush Lily (Clivia)
Fuchsia
Dogwood
Camellia
Azalea
Rhododendron
Boxwood
Jasmine

“City pollution creates an added challenge, so remember to fertilize for good health,” Berg adds.

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Garden Jubilee helps beautify yards

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“I think this festival has been going for 18 years,” said Karen Baker, communications specialist for Henderson County Travel and Tourism. “It’s developed such a following that it’s become one of the premiere garden shows in Western North Carolina.”

Baker said she’s already seen “a fantastic crowd” and people with wheelbarrows full of plants and furniture.

“We have really unique crafts, too,” Baker said. “I think people have gotten into decorating the outdoors and making more of a living space.”

For the past 10 years, Bill Slack, a landscape and gardening specialist with Southern Living Magazine, has been giving popular talks on landscaping.

Baker said Slack has also developed a following at the show, and there’s standing room only with people outside the tent where he speaks.

Slack said the three biggest issues people ask about is how to landscape the front yard here, how to add more color and maintenance issues.

“I try to demystify the design process (of landscaping),” Slack said. “That’s it in a nutshell.”

Slack said the biggest mistake people make while landscaping is not spacing plants far enough apart.

He explained a lot of people look at a baby plant and cannot foresee that in five years it will be as big as the side of the house.

“Without a doubt, start from a plan,” he said. “Without a plan, people will buy what’s on sale at Lowe’s and will start the design process as they’re pulling into the driveway.”

If people don’t plan it out, it won’t look good as a finished yard, Slack explained. He added that as long as you have a plan, you can work on your yard in stages as time and money allow. So one summer, you can build the front yard, and the next summer you can build the side yard, he said.

“When it is done, you have a design that’s held together flow and unity for the full yard,” he said.

Slack will present “Wow! What a beautiful front yard” at 1 p.m. and “No sun in your garden? No problem” at 3 p.m. today at the Lowe’s Garden Clinics near the Visitors Center at 201 S. Main St.

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Handmade Collectibles, Antiques at New Cranbury Garden Boutique

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From garden decorations and fountains, to handbags, wall art and soap, Cranbury’s new business brings an eclectic variety of handmade, one of a kind and repurposed antiques and collectibles.

Drawing inspiration from her husbands landscaping company, Debbie Field opened Around the Garden Boutique and Garden Design today on Park Place off Main Street.

“It’s been my lifelong dream, to own a little shop,” Field said.

A flight attendant for 21 years, Field always had the idea of owning a small business, and in the past two and a half months, turned that idea into reality.

“It has been such a labor of love,” Field said.

Using the Cranbury Craft Fair to find local vendors, Field stocked her shop with pottery, paintings and handmade blown glass from people she met at the fair. One man has been painting for 30 years and this is the first time his work has been showcased in a shop.

“I’m honored to be a shop owner. I’m honored to have all these people’s work in my shop,” Field said.

The indoor and outdoor items range from a $5 bar of soap, to $200 collectibles. There is no set merchandise in the shop, as it is always evolving, Field said. Handbags come from both the United States and Europe, and vintage bags and jewelry are also sold.

“I’m the one who hunts for the treasures,” Field said. “Everything in the store has been hand picked by me.”

Although Field and her husband, Chris, and three daughters Nicole, 10, Ashley, 8, and Shelby, 5, live in East Windsor, she knew Cranbury was the right place for this shop – given its small town vibe.

“I feel a deep connection with the people here and so much support,” Field said. “I really feel that people want a place to come that they can touch and be a part of things that are handmade,” Field said.

Field said she wants Cranbury to be a destination, and believes having many small, local business will draw people to the town not only to shop, but also to eat and browse.

To tie the shop in with her husband’s landscaping business, Around The Garden Landscaping in Hightstown, garden design services are available through her shop. Field said her husband has been extremely supportive helping her open the business.

Field strives to give everything a personal touch – from gift-wrapping each item to send home with customers to leaving her cell phone number posted on the door.

“I want it to be an experience,” Field said.

The shop opens Friday and there are no set hours, as it will vary week to week. Customers are invited to call Debbie Field on her cell phone, 609-638-5341, if the store is closed and they wish to shop. Around The Garden Boutique accepts credit cards, cash and checks, and gift certificates are available.

Filed Under: garden design

The owners of Santa Cruz’s DIG Gardens are finding that their chic and …

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The owners of Santa Cruz’s DIG Gardens are finding that their chic and whimsical approach to garden design has friends in high places.

For the second year running, the local husband and wife team of Cara and Will Meyers has been asked to put its stamp on the centerpiece exhibit at the Sunset Celebration Weekend. The two are looking to put a fresh spin on the Ultimate Outdoor Living Room at the June 2-3 event in Menlo Park.

The annual event draws tens of thousands of garden design enthusiasts eager to step into the pages of Sunset magazine, take part in seminars, tastings and demonstrations, and soak up the Sunset ambience that puts a premium on Western living. The two-day event features stages dedicated to travel, garden and outdoor living, shopping, wine seminars, gourmet food trucks and a plethora of celebrity chefs cooking up their takes on Western cuisine.

The Ultimate Outdoor Living Room, a main exhibit, showcases fresh ideas for transforming decks and patios into stylish destinations to dine, entertain, relax and play.

“DIG’s approach to garden design is all about celebrating the outdoors, which is very much a part of the Sunset DNA,” said Sarah Gaffney, Sunset senior project manager.

“Cara and Will … understand that a backyard space has to be both beautiful and functional,” she added. “We wanted to create a space that you’d enjoy hanging out in just as much, if not more, as your indoor spaces.”

With help from DIG Gardens,

a dream backyard will be crafted around the House of Arc, a modular, 100 percent off-the-grid dwelling designed by Bellomo Architects of Palo Alto. Sustainable design elements are spotlighted, such as an outdoor bar constructed of reclaimed pallet wood, an outdoor shower made with a living wall of succulents and an outdoor rocker bed made of reclaimed steel and wood.

The display also features space-saving ideas such as built-in “pop-up” deck furniture and innovative shading systems.

“We are going for a more tropical feel to the garden this year,” said Cara Meyers, who writes a column for the Sentinel. “We want the garden to feel like your backyard is a vacation resort, but with realistic plants for our climate.”

The Ultimate Outdoor Living Room provides the backdrop for a full lineup of home and design demonstrations. Topics will include urban homesteading, reusing salvaged items and gardening in small spaces.

Gaffney said the idea is to present “fun ideas that people can easily translate in their own backyards.” Celebrity designers from the DIY and HGTV networks will be making appearances all weekend.

DIG plans elements such as living walls, containers and loads of succulents, plus String Gardens, a DIY project that along with hypertufa containers are part of DIG’s new product line, released this week.

Last year, DIG was chosen to design a chic yet function-forward landscape surrounding a modern boxcar home that was the centerpiece of the Sunset Celebration Weekend.

DIG first caught the attention of Sunset last spring. Since then, DIG has been featured several times in the magazine.

“DIG is exceptional at creating beautifully designed spaces using plants as a key design element,” said Gaffney, adding, “Much like designers use accessories in the home for color and texture, Cara does this in the backyard with plants. Her use of color is fantastic.”

With unusual garden design ideas such as vertical succulent walls, succulent orbs, and hypertufa pots, DIG has worked to define itself as one of the Central Coast’s most savvy, chic garden design teams.

“DIG is a place where we want people to get excited about plants, and incorporate gardening with style,” said Cara Meyers. “As soon as you walk into the nursery, you can tell you aren’t in your typical garden store. … We try to offer plants and garden items, you won’t find anywhere else and display them in a way that inspires your design.”

Meyers, a graduate of the Cabrillo horticulture program, also owns Hidden Gardens Nursery in Aptos with husband Will.

DIG Gardens is at 420 Water St. in Santa Cruz. Call 466-DIGG or visit www.diggardensnursery.com.

IF YOU GO

Sunset Celebration Weekend: Fresh from the West
WHAT: Celebrate all the flavors, home and garden ideas, and travel inspiration that the West has to offer. Join Sunset editors, celebrity chefs including Guy Fieri, and other experts from the worlds of food, wine, travel, garden and home as they share tips, tastings, demonstrations and inspiration.
DON’T MISS: The Ultimate Outdoor Living Room, featuring the design elements of Santa Cruz’s DIG Gardens
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, June 2-3
WHERE: Sunset headquarters, 80 Willow Road, Menlo Park
COST: $16 general admission, $14 seniors [60-plus, no other discounts allowed], kids under 12 admitted free. Tickets will be sold at the door, or in advance at sunsetcw.eventbrite.com.
DETAILS: Call 800-786-7375 or visit www.sunset.com/cw for a complete schedule of presenters and events, event information, and online tickets.

Filed Under: garden design

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