Christopher Slaughter is named general manager of new restaurant

Orlando, FL  (RestaurantNews.com)  Olive Garden opened at 6330 S.W. 3rd St. in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Monday, April 29 at 11 a.m. – creating 190 new jobs. The Olive Garden in Oklahoma City is the newest Olive Garden in the family of more than 800 local restaurants committed to providing every guest with a genuine Italian dining experience.

The 7,441 square-foot restaurant can host up to 246 guests and features a design that is inspired by traditional farmhouses found in Tuscany, Italy.  Olive Garden design teams traveled to Italy to work with Italian architects Fabio and Lucia Zingarelli and the result is a restaurant design that recreates the warmth and simple beauty of a Tuscan farmhouse.

The Westgate Olive Garden has a rustic stone exterior, typical of the buildings in the Italian countryside, and an interior accented by Italian imports designed to make the dining experience here a tribute to the restaurant’s Italian inspiration.  Ceilings supported by exposed wood beams, stone and wood accents throughout, and terra cotta tile highlight the interior.

In addition, the bar top is crafted from lava stone and hand-painted by artisans in Italy with a design created exclusively for Olive Garden.  Vibrant imported fabrics decorate windows and dining seats, while hand-painted plates, adorn rustic stone and stucco walls.

The restaurant also features a number of sustainable design elements, including recycled building materials, enlarged windows to increase natural light, low-water landscaping and energy-efficient equipment.  These enhancements are part of the Sustainable Restaurant Design initiative launched by Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden’s parent company.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead the Westgate restaurant and a great team at Olive Garden,” said Christopher Slaughter, newly named general manager.  “In addition to our Italian specialties, including signature items like our homemade soups, garden fresh salad and warm, garlic breadsticks, the menu at the Westgate Olive Garden will feature limited time offers like our Buy One, Take One promotion. Guests can select one of five entrées to enjoy and select another entrée from the five to take home for dinner the next day.”

Slaughter brings extensive restaurant industry experience to his new position.  He has been with Olive Garden for 20 years, most recently as general manager of the Olive Garden located at 1844 Northwest Expressway in Oklahoma City.  Slaughter received a degree in business marketing from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX.

Slaughter is one of more than 1,400 managers who have visited Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany in the Tuscan village of Riserva di Fizzano, which serves as the source of inspiration for some dishes on Olive Garden’s menu.  Each year, more than 100 managers visit CIT and learn about Italy, its food, wine, culture and people.  This includes learning the time-honored traditions of Italian cooking and working side-by-side with Italian master chefs.  The CIT is designed to inspire attendees to share the Italian culture of hospitality and passion with their restaurant teams and guests back home.

In 2009 and 2011, Slaughter received a Diamond Club Award, the company’s top honor, which recognizes general managers who receive outstanding results in delighting guests with a genuine Italian dining experience and achieve top financial performance.

To recognize Slaughter’s role as head of the Olive Garden family in Oklahoma City and to emphasize the importance the company places on its general managers, Olive Garden honored Slaughter by setting his name in stone.  Travertine marble imported from Tuscany was chiseled with Slaughter’s name and placed prominently by the restaurant’s front door.

Olive Garden is now accepting applications for employment. To be considered for an interview, please apply online at www.OliveGarden.com/Careers.

About Olive Garden

Olive Garden is the leading restaurant in the Italian dining segment with more than 800 restaurants, more than 90,000 employees and more than $3.5 billion in annual sales. Olive Garden is a division of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI), the world’s largest full-service restaurant operating company. In 2013, Darden was named to the FORTUNE “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the third year in a row and is the only full-service restaurant company to ever appear on the list. Olive Garden is committed to making a difference in the lives of others in the local community. As part of this commitment, the Myrtle Beach Olive Garden will participate in the Darden Harvest program, which has donated more than 60 million pounds of food to local community food banks across the country. For more information, visit www.olivegarden.com.

Westgate Olive Garden at a glance:

Contact:
Catie Jackson
Pierson Grant Public Relations
954-776-1999, x236
or
Tara Gray
Olive Garden
407-245-5642

Friday, 03 May 2013

The London College of Garden Design is giving its graduates a free day’s training to assist their professional development.

The 2013 Graduate Inspiration Day will feature specialist sessions including engaging customers through social media and creating a business which is bigger than themselves.

Director Andrew Fisher Tomlin said:  “We were conscious that it is tough out there and we want our graduates to succeed in their new careers.

“We always want to display the talents and achievements of our students and graduates and this new day is another way in which they get value for the investment that they have made with us.”

Recent successes for former students of the college include reaching the finals of the RHS Young Garden Designer of the Year competition in 2012 and 2013.  Meanwhile many former students now work with leading designers.

Many plants went into winter feeling the stress of drought conditions. In spite of late-season waterings, chanted incantations (“live, live, live!”) and crossed fingers, warmer weather has revealed some winter kill or damage to perennials, shrubs and trees, especially arborvitae. And I’m still cursing the bunnies who chomped two new spireas into toothpicks.

Hostas, though, just keep coming back. Like lilac bushes, you can’t kill ’em with a stick. These herbaceous perennials are highly prized for their foliage, the sheer number of color, leaf shape and texture variations, and low-maintenance behavior.

Nine new varieties will be available at Green Scene’s 37th annual Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the garden building on the National Cattle Congress grounds. They include “Afterglow” featuring large heart-shaped leaves with wide yellow margins in an upright mound; “Andrew,” a unique tri-color hosta with puckered, folded and ruffled leaves; and “Golden Needles,” a mini with yellow leaves streaked in green.

At least 30 named varieties (and countless bags o’nameless hostas) will be sold at the sale, making choices tough. Green Scene has made it easier with a hosta-filled shade garden design. In addition, members have created a low-water garden design for plants better able to handle drought. All varieties will be at the plant sale.

Hosta-filled Shade Garden (newer varieties)

A. Astilbe “Sprite” — Dwarf, shell pink plumes

B. Hosta “Ice Follies” — Dark green, creamy-white margins

C. Hosta “First Frost” — Blue-green, gold margin that turns white

D. Hosta “Dreamweaver” — Corrugated leaves, contrasting white centers

E. Hosta “Captain Kirk” — Splashy gold, green edges

F. Hosta “Devil’s Advocate” — Heart-shaped, tall and upright

Note: Plant in multiples to fill space.

Hosta-filled Shade Garden

(traditional varieties)

A. Heuchera “Palace Purple” — Purple-leafed coral bells

B. Hosta “Antioch” — Green white margins

C. Hosta “Halcyon” — Among best blue hosta cultivars

D. Hosta “Tokudama Aureonebulosa” — Chartreuse in spring, blue-green margin

E. Hosta “Paul’s Glory” — Blue-green margins, chartreuse centers

F. Hosta “Undulata” — Wavy leaves, twisted at the tips.

Note: Plant in multiples to fill space.

Low-Water Garden

A. Snow-in-summer

B. Ice Plant “Fire Spinner”

C. Sedum “Autumn Joy”

D. Miscanthus sinensis “Morning Light”

E. Liatrus “Squarrosa”

F. Ratibida or Mexican Hat, red variety

G. Gaillardia “Arizona Apricot”

H. Geum “Prairie Smoke”

I. Lady’s mantle

J. Dead Nettle “Chequers”

K. Penstemon “Silverton”

L. Sedum “Frosty Morn”

M. Coneflower “Pow Wow Wild Berry”

N. Aster “Woods ink”

0. Lamb’s ear “Fuzzy Wuzzy”

Note: Plant in multiples to fill space

Hosta tips

— Hostas grow in well-drained, average soil enriched with organic matter.

— Apply a well-balanced, slow-release fertilizer at half the rate in spring. Stop fertilizing after mid-summer or growth will be soft and vulnerable to disease, slugs and snails.

— Water an inch per week, more if the weather is scorching, at base and around plants.

— Plant, transplant or divide in early fall or spring before leaves unfold. Keep plant and roots moist. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 1 1/2 times as wide as its diameter. The crown should be planted at soil level. Water at least 1 gallon a day until plants are established.

Tips for low-water gardening

— Choose drought-tolerant and/or native plants that thrive in low-water conditions.

— Water until plants are established for first two years. Eventually plants can rely on rainfall, with supplemental watering as needed.

— Incorporate organic matter into soil for water retention. Water deeply and infrequently to force plants to root deeply.

— Mulch with a 3- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch.

Looking for a fresh way to liven up your garden walls? Think plants, not paintings.

Living pictures — cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes — have caught on among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space.

“Living pictures composed of succulents have a gorgeous sculptural quality that work surprisingly well in a number of different aesthetics — contemporary, bohemian, Southwestern and more,” says Irene Edwards, executive editor of Lonny home design magazine. “They’re great for urban dwellers with limited space.”

Living pictures are also nearly maintenance-free (i.e. hard to kill). So even beginners or those with the blackest of thumbs can look like the master gardener of the neighborhood.

Here’s how you can create your own living succulent picture:

PICK YOUR STYLE

There are a few ways you can go.

For a larger living picture, you can use a wooden pallet, framing out the back like a shadow box. Large, do-it-yourself living wall panels are also for sale online through garden shops like San Francisco’s Flora Grubb Gardens and DIG Gardens based in Santa Cruz, Calif.

But going big right away can be daunting, and bigger also means heavier, so many newbies like California gardening blogger Sarah Cornwall stick with smaller picture or poster frames.

Go vintage with an antique frame or finish, or build your own out of local barn wood. Chunky, streamlined frames like the ones Cornwall bought from Ikea give a more modern feel.

You’ll also need a shadow box cut to fit the back of the frame, and wire mesh or “chicken wire” to fit over the front if you’re going to make your own.

First, nail or screw the shadow box to the back of the frame. A depth of 2 to 3 inches is ideal. Set the wire mesh inside the frame and secure it with a staple gun, then nail a plywood backing to the back of the shadow box.

TAKE CUTTINGS

Almost any succulent can be used for living pictures, though it’s usually best to stick with varieties that stay small, like echeverias and sempervivums, says DIG Gardens co-owner Cara Meyers.

“It’s fun to use varieties of aeoniums and sedums for their fun colors and textures, but they may need a little more maintenance, as they may start to grow out of the picture more,” she says.

Cut off small buds of the succulents for cuttings, leaving a stem of at least 1/4-inch long.

No succulents to snip? You can always buy some at a nursery or trade with other gardeners in your neighborhood.

“They grow so easily, don’t feel embarrassed knocking on a door to ask for a few cuttings,” Cornwall says.

Make sure any old bottom leaves are removed, then leave the cuttings on a tray in a cool, shaded area for a few days to form a “scab” on the ends before planting.

ADD SOIL

Set the frame mesh-side up on a table and fill with soil, using your hands to push it through the wire mesh openings.

Be sure to use cactus soil, which is coarser than potting soil for better drainage.

Some vertical gardeners place a layer of sphagnum moss under and over the soil to hold moisture in when watering.

FILL IN WITH PLANTS

Now comes the fun and creative part.

Lay out the succulent cuttings in the design you want on a flat surface, and poke them into the wire mesh holes in your frame.

You can start either in one corner or by placing the “focal point” cuttings in first and filling in around them. Waves or rivers of color are popular living-picture designs, although Cape Cod-based landscaper Jason Lambton has gone bolder with spirals of green and purple.

“We painted the pallet different color stripes to go with the color theme of the back of the house,” says Lambton, host of HGTV’s “Going Yard.” ”It looked like a cool piece of living, reclaimed art.”

Using just one type of succulent is also a simple yet elegant option, says Kirk Aoyagi, co-founder and vice president of FormLA Landscaping.

“Collages with some draping and some upright plants can create a more dramatic look and feel,” he says.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE TIPS

Keep the living picture flat and out of direct sunlight for one to two weeks to allow roots to form along the stems, then begin watering.

“If you hang it up right away or it rains a lot, that dirt will just pour right out. … I made that mistake once,” Lambton says.

Mount your living art once the succulents are securely rooted, which can take four to eight weeks depending on climate.

After that, water every seven to 10 days by removing from the wall and laying it flat. Be sure to let the water drain before hanging your living picture back up, to avoid rotting.

Online:

DIG Gardens: http://diggardensnursery.com

Flora Grubb Gardens: http://floragrubb.com/idx/index.php

HGTV: http://www.hgtv.com

FormLA Landscaping: https://www.formlainc.com

Garden Tech Horticultural Services located at 1171 R Main St. in Walpole specializes in landscape design, installation and landscape construction services for plantings. They also do hardscapes such as patios, walkways and fire pits.

Our New England winter this year was harsh and many trees, hedges and shrubs were badly damaged.

Patch sat down with owner Bob Trainor, certified horticulturalist and landscape professional to discuss some remedies for those damaged plantings. Many Walpole residents may know Trainor from his garden designs around Walpole landmarks.

Patch: When did you start Garden Tech Horticultural Services?

Trainor: I started Garden Tech back in 1998. I was a single dad and needed to find flexible work hours. I already had 20 years in the landscape and nursery field so it was a natural progression. I started out specializing in small garden design and installation and filled a niche market that the typical “mow and blow” companies couldn’t service. As the appreciation for more experienced landscape care grew, a result of better educated consumers, demand for our services grew as well.  We’ve had to expand in several areas including lawn maintenance and heavier construction jobs like patios and walkways.   

Patch: What do you do to help all of the plantings that were damaged because of our harsh winter?

Trainor: This spring has had its challenges. The late winter snowfall delayed our spring start time but also brought with it lots of damage to trees and shrubs. Our most frequent repair calls are for arborvitae hedges that have been bent over by the weight of the wet snow. The nature of evergreen shrubs with multiple trunks like arborvitae and upright junipers is that they are prone to falling apart under heavy wet snow conditions.

The best way to handle such a damaged hedge is to first cut off any dead or broken limbs. Then tie the trunks together at about 2/3 the height up from the ground. It is important to tie the shrubs with something that won’t dig into the soft bark of the trunks, definitely don’t use a thin wire. We use a product called Arbor Tie, which is a nylon strap that is gentle on the trunks. Also anything used to tie up the shrubs should be removed after a season or two or you risk girdling the trunks as the bark tries to grow around it. We use a product called Arbor Tie, which is a nylon webbing or strap.

Patch: Do trees and shrubs benefit from pruning?

Trainor: Pruning back the tops of the shrubs helps take the weight off but this should be done carefully as to not cut into older wood that is not going to send out new buds. Thinning out the tops also allows more light to the branches below which can help make for a fuller plant. If a shrub or hedge is bent to one side from the weight of snow one can also drive a heavy stake into the ground and secure the up righted shrub to it.

Patch: How can you avoid future damage?

Trainor: To avoid future snow damage think carefully about the sighting of landscape plants. I would not plant an arborvitae hedge under the eve of a roof where heavy snow can build up. Also, where possible if you choose plants with a single leader as opposed to multiple trunks they are less likely to succumb to snow load damage. To avoid recurring damage to existing shrubs it may be wise to tie some together for the winter months but never cover them with any kind of plastic. I am always amused when I see “upholstered” shrubs appear in landscapes every fall, most of it is unnecessary and often times harmful.

For more information you can find Garden Tech Horticultural Service on Facebook or call (508) 660-0490.

Many plants went into winter feeling the stress of drought conditions. In spite of late-season waterings, chanted incantations (“live, live, live!”) and crossed fingers, warmer weather has revealed some winter kill or damage to perennials, shrubs and trees, especially arborvitae. And I’m still cursing the bunnies who chomped two new spireas into toothpicks.

Hostas, though, just keep coming back. Like lilac bushes, you can’t kill ’em with a stick. These herbaceous perennials are highly prized for their foliage, the sheer number of color, leaf shape and texture variations, and low-maintenance behavior.

Nine new varieties will be available at Green Scene’s 37th annual Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the garden building on the National Cattle Congress grounds. They include “Afterglow” featuring large heart-shaped leaves with wide yellow margins in an upright mound; “Andrew,” a unique tri-color hosta with puckered, folded and ruffled leaves; and “Golden Needles,” a mini with yellow leaves streaked in green.

At least 30 named varieties (and countless bags o’nameless hostas) will be sold at the sale, making choices tough. Green Scene has made it easier with a hosta-filled shade garden design. In addition, members have created a low-water garden design for plants better able to handle drought. All varieties will be at the plant sale.

Hosta-filled Shade Garden (newer varieties)

A. Astilbe “Sprite” — Dwarf, shell pink plumes

B. Hosta “Ice Follies” — Dark green, creamy-white margins

C. Hosta “First Frost” — Blue-green, gold margin that turns white

D. Hosta “Dreamweaver” — Corrugated leaves, contrasting white centers

E. Hosta “Captain Kirk” — Splashy gold, green edges

F. Hosta “Devil’s Advocate” — Heart-shaped, tall and upright

Note: Plant in multiples to fill space.

Hosta-filled Shade Garden

(traditional varieties)

A. Heuchera “Palace Purple” — Purple-leafed coral bells

B. Hosta “Antioch” — Green white margins

C. Hosta “Halcyon” — Among best blue hosta cultivars

D. Hosta “Tokudama Aureonebulosa” — Chartreuse in spring, blue-green margin

E. Hosta “Paul’s Glory” — Blue-green margins, chartreuse centers

F. Hosta “Undulata” — Wavy leaves, twisted at the tips.

Note: Plant in multiples to fill space.

Low-Water Garden

A. Snow-in-summer

B. Ice Plant “Fire Spinner”

C. Sedum “Autumn Joy”

D. Miscanthus sinensis “Morning Light”

E. Liatrus “Squarrosa”

F. Ratibida or Mexican Hat, red variety

G. Gaillardia “Arizona Apricot”

H. Geum “Prairie Smoke”

I. Lady’s mantle

J. Dead Nettle “Chequers”

K. Penstemon “Silverton”

L. Sedum “Frosty Morn”

M. Coneflower “Pow Wow Wild Berry”

N. Aster “Woods ink”

0. Lamb’s ear “Fuzzy Wuzzy”

Note: Plant in multiples to fill space

Hosta tips

— Hostas grow in well-drained, average soil enriched with organic matter.

— Apply a well-balanced, slow-release fertilizer at half the rate in spring. Stop fertilizing after mid-summer or growth will be soft and vulnerable to disease, slugs and snails.

— Water an inch per week, more if the weather is scorching, at base and around plants.

— Plant, transplant or divide in early fall or spring before leaves unfold. Keep plant and roots moist. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 1 1/2 times as wide as its diameter. The crown should be planted at soil level. Water at least 1 gallon a day until plants are established.

Tips for low-water gardening

— Choose drought-tolerant and/or native plants that thrive in low-water conditions.

— Water until plants are established for first two years. Eventually plants can rely on rainfall, with supplemental watering as needed.

— Incorporate organic matter into soil for water retention. Water deeply and infrequently to force plants to root deeply.

— Mulch with a 3- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch.

By Matthew Appleby
01 May 2013

^{The High Line in New York has become a firm tourist favourite}

A developing style

Cut to 2010 and the planting on the High Line, the raised linear park on the
lower west side of New York. The character is startlingly different, to such
an extent that it seems almost like the work of a different hand.

Here, the planting is intermingled, less obviously painterly, and much more
like a miraculous slice of nature than an artful arrangement of plants. To
heighten the quality of nature in the city, the composition is almost
entirely of American natives, planted in ecological groupings and
associations that create an arresting contrast to the smart steel and
concrete detailing of the park and the urban grit that surrounds you. The
volume of grass is up, the flowers down, and the content and spatial
character is constantly shifting like a linear narrative as you walk by.

There are woodland bits, open bits and everything in between.

A new book entitled Planting: A New Perspective (see below), written by
Noel Kingsbury, but prepared in collaboration with Oudolf, charts the
progression of his work between these two extremes of style and rightly
places him as the pivotal planting designer of the last quarter century. The
most riveting part of the book shows planting plans varying from the
Pensthorpe type of project of blocky planting, which seemed so naturalistic
at the time, to the more recent work such as the High Line, characterised by
much greater interweaving of plants and a close mimicry of plant
associations and patterns found in nature.

Oudolf’s early work was a great influence throughout the temperate world
because it was bold and delicate at the same time. He looked at the way
plants behaved throughout their growth cycle and was as interested in how
they looked when they were dying as much as when they were in flower. This
in itself is as revolutionary as it gets in the world of planting design,
but it is perhaps fair to say that the style was more painterly than it was
ecologically inspired. Over the past 10 years this has changed, and while
much of this has to do with his regular trips to see plants in the wild,
particularly in the US and eastern Europe, Oudolf would highlight the
influence of several key practitioners working in the intermingled style.

Perhaps foremost among these would be Cassian Schmidt, the curator of the
garden at Hermanshoff in Weinheim, Germany. In this remarkable garden near
Frankfurt, Schmidt has developed a number of plantings based on a repetitive
grid of plants where each species in the grid is selected as much for the
ecological niche it fulfils as much as for its decorative impact. This type
of “matrix” planting is now the rage in Europe and, as with many things
systematic, Germany is at the forefront of developments. It is now possible
to purchase a perennial plant mix for almost any soil type or aspect, that
has been extensively trialled and tested in government-funded research.
Perhaps the most well known is the Silbersommer (Silver Summer) mix
developed in 1990, which is a matrix of 20 fairly drought-tolerant,
light-demanding and low-growing plants such as Salvia, Achillea,
Phlomis russeliana, grasses and Geranium. You simply order the amount of
plants you need and roll out the carpet. I have seen it in full flower at
Weinheim and it is impressively natural-seeming, even if the concept is a
little frightening

.

^{Oudolf’s early work at Pensthrope, in Norfolk, was very influential on
British designers}

Dan Pearson (whose show at the Garden Museum opens on May 23), is one of the
foremost British planting designers and perhaps the closest in style to
Oudolf in the UK, has also recently been experimenting with matrix planting
in a large Japanese project. But perhaps the extreme practitioner of the
planting matrix approach is James Hitchmough at Sheffield University, who
uses complex seed mixes rather than plants to create astonishing exotic
meadows. While these are mesmerising on the big scale, and in the high
season (from May to October) they don’t have the appeal of an Oudolf
planting in winter and don’t work so well on a more intimate scale.

For Oudolf, planting has always been about creating moods and eliciting
emotions. But the recent, more ecologically informed work, gains an extra
weight by connecting us to how plants grow in the wild. The design becomes
much more about creating a plant community rather than a collection of
individuals. To take one section of planting on the High Line, the plan
shows a loose matrix of grass species planted throughout; in this case a mix
of Panicum virgatum ‘Heiliger Hain’ and Calamagrostis
brachytricha spaced about 1-1.5m apart with about 20 other varieties of
perennial flower spread through in different-sized groups, from one plant
used just singly to another planted in generous groups. The flowers
therefore are always seen within a matrix of grasses, just as they might be
in nature.

These more recent plans, identifying the position of each and every plant, are
of fabulous complexity. Oudolf told me recently how he works for months on
these over the winter, in almost solitary confinement, and I am struck by
the parallel between these drawings and the musical scores of some great
orchestral colourist such as Debussy, where the complexity of the music can
barely be contained on the page. The composer knows exactly the impact on
the orchestral texture, for example, of introducing a few notes on the
bassoon here, just as Oudolf knows the effect of adding another plant. The
difference being that a composer can to some extent try out ideas on the
piano, whereas the plantsman has only his memory and his sense of
composition. It is hard to think of another creative arena where so much
knowledge and understanding is abstracted and codified to such an extent; in
the case of a planting plan, to be translated as a seemingly effortless
expression of natural beauty in four dimensions.

I walked the High Line this January on an icy grey morning. Everything was
shades of brown, but there was a delicacy of line and a legibility to all
the dead plants, which made it beautiful, even at that bleak time of the
year. One can easily imagine the planting here translating to the most
domestic and private of gardens. A repeat matrix is all very well for a big
open space, but for finely nuanced spaces you need a master of detail. In
Oudolf you have someone who thinks by the centimetre at the same time as by
the hectare.

‘Planting: A New Perspective’ by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury (Timber
Press, RRP £30) is available from Telegraph Books at £26 + £1.35pp.
Call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk

Photo by Caitlin Atkinson

This undated publicity photo courtesy of Flora Grubb Gardens shows various horizontal and vertical living pictures made with succulent cuttings in San Francisco. Living pictures, cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes, are hot among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space. (AP Photo/Flora Grubb Gardens, Caitlin Atkinson)

Photo by Caitlin Atkinson

This undated publicity photo courtesy of Flora Grubb Gardens shows a close-up of a living succulent picture in San Francisco. Living pictures, cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes, are hot among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space. (AP Photo/Flora Grubb Gardens, Caitlin Atkinson)

Photo by Marion Brenner

This undated publicity photo courtesy of Flora Grubb Gardens shows a large living succulent wall in an outdoor area at Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco. Living pictures, cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes, are hot among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space. (AP Photo/Flora Grubb Gardens, Marion Brenner)

Photo by Marion Brenner

This undated publicity photo courtesy of Flora Grubb Gardens shows a large living succulent picture hanging outside a bedroom in San Francisco. Living pictures, cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes, are hot among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space. (AP Photo/Flora Grubb Gardens, Marion Brenner)

Photo by Caitlin Atkinson

This undated publicity photo courtesy of Flora Grubb Gardens shows a living picture made with cryptanthus and neoregelia bromeliads, rhipsalis cactus, haworthia, hoya, and peperomia in San Francisco. Living pictures, cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes, are hot among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space. (AP Photo/Flora Grubb Gardens, Caitlin Atkinson)

Photo by Caitlin Atkinson

This undated publicity photo courtesy of Flora Grubb Gardens shows a close-up of a living succulent picture dominated by red plants in San Francisco. Living pictures, cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes, are hot among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space. (AP Photo/Flora Grubb Gardens, Caitlin Atkinson)

This undated photo released by FormLA Landscaping shows a living succulent picture created for the courtyard of the 2012 Pasadena Showcase House of Design. Living pictures, cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes, are hot among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space. (AP Photo/FormLA Landscaping)

Looking for a fresh way to liven up your garden walls? Think plants, not paintings.

Living pictures — cuttings of assorted succulents woven together in everything from picture frames to pallet boxes — have caught on among garden designers and landscapers this spring as an easy, modern way to add color and texture to an outdoor space.

“Living pictures composed of succulents have a gorgeous sculptural quality that work surprisingly well in a number of different aesthetics — contemporary, bohemian, Southwestern and more,” says Irene Edwards, executive editor of Lonny home design magazine. “They’re great for urban dwellers with limited space.”

Living pictures are also nearly maintenance-free (i.e. hard to kill). So even beginners or those with the blackest of thumbs can look like the master gardener of the neighborhood.

Here’s how you can create your own living succulent picture:

PICK YOUR STYLE

There are a few ways you can go.

For a larger living picture, you can use a wooden pallet, framing out the back like a shadow box. Large, do-it-yourself living wall panels are also for sale online through garden shops like San Francisco’s Flora Grubb Gardens and DIG Gardens based in Santa Cruz, Calif.

But going big right away can be daunting, and bigger also means heavier, so many newbies like California gardening blogger Sarah Cornwall stick with smaller picture or poster frames.

Go vintage with an antique frame or finish, or build your own out of local barn wood. Chunky, streamlined frames like the ones Cornwall bought from Ikea give a more modern feel.

You’ll also need a shadow box cut to fit the back of the frame, and wire mesh or “chicken wire” to fit over the front if you’re going to make your own.

First, nail or screw the shadow box to the back of the frame. A depth of 2 to 3 inches is ideal. Set the wire mesh inside the frame and secure it with a staple gun, then nail a plywood backing to the back of the shadow box.

TAKE CUTTINGS

Almost any succulent can be used for living pictures, though it’s usually best to stick with varieties that stay small, like echeverias and sempervivums, says DIG Gardens co-owner Cara Meyers.

“It’s fun to use varieties of aeoniums and sedums for their fun colors and textures, but they may need a little more maintenance, as they may start to grow out of the picture more,” she says.

Cut off small buds of the succulents for cuttings, leaving a stem of at least 1/4-inch long.

No succulents to snip? You can always buy some at a nursery or trade with other gardeners in your neighborhood.

“They grow so easily, don’t feel embarrassed knocking on a door to ask for a few cuttings,” Cornwall says.

Make sure any old bottom leaves are removed, then leave the cuttings on a tray in a cool, shaded area for a few days to form a “scab” on the ends before planting.

ADD SOIL

Set the frame mesh-side up on a table and fill with soil, using your hands to push it through the wire mesh openings.

Be sure to use cactus soil, which is coarser than potting soil for better drainage.

Some vertical gardeners place a layer of sphagnum moss under and over the soil to hold moisture in when watering.

FILL IN WITH PLANTS

Now comes the fun and creative part.

Lay out the succulent cuttings in the design you want on a flat surface, and poke them into the wire mesh holes in your frame.

You can start either in one corner or by placing the “focal point” cuttings in first and filling in around them. Waves or rivers of color are popular living-picture designs, although Cape Cod-based landscaper Jason Lambton has gone bolder with spirals of green and purple.

“We painted the pallet different color stripes to go with the color theme of the back of the house,” says Lambton, host of HGTV’s “Going Yard.” “It looked like a cool piece of living, reclaimed art.”

Using just one type of succulent is also a simple yet elegant option, says Kirk Aoyagi, co-founder and vice president of FormLA Landscaping.

“Collages with some draping and some upright plants can create a more dramatic look and feel,” he says.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE TIPS

Keep the living picture flat and out of direct sunlight for one to two weeks to allow roots to form along the stems, then begin watering.

“If you hang it up right away or it rains a lot, that dirt will just pour right out. … I made that mistake once,” Lambton says.

Mount your living art once the succulents are securely rooted, which can take four to eight weeks depending on climate.

After that, water every seven to 10 days by removing from the wall and laying it flat. Be sure to let the water drain before hanging your living picture back up, to avoid rotting.

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Online:

DIG Gardens: http://diggardensnursery.com

Flora Grubb Gardens: http://floragrubb.com/idx/index.php

HGTV: http://www.hgtv.com

FormLA Landscaping: https://www.formlainc.com

When do art and science come together to make your life more beautiful? If you thought of garden design, you’d be right.

Recently I was treated to a garden tour by fellow designer and good friend Joy Albright-Souza, who has combined her love of art with her degree in science and her passion for the environment to create beautiful spaces for people to enjoy.

“It was natural to combine the two interests into garden design,” Souza says.

Last fall, several of her design ideas were featured in a do it yourself book called “Landscape Ideas You Can Use.”

Understanding garden design is the goal of the book, and it offers specific information on plants and hardscaping options. Fountains, rock gardens and landscaping for play are three of the categories for which Albright-Souza provided examples.

I have been to Albright-Souza’s garden many times to enjoy a game on the petanque court during a barbeque. Petanque is a game similar to bocce but can be played in a smaller backyard. It’s a great way to get the whole family involved in a game together. I’ve heard Albright-Souza laugh that she’d like to see a petanque court in every yard — it’s that fun.

Located on the outskirts of Scotts Valley, we visited one of the gardens she designed that features a petanque court. The court replaced a lawn with drainage problems, and recently served as a dance floor for a wedding.

The property is located on the site of an old quarry, and the granite walls conveniently provide crushed gravel to top-dress the court.

As we walked around the garden at sunset, the back-lit grasses sparkled like jewels. Locating plants to achieve this effect was no accident. Albright-Souza carefully thought out every aspect, from the deer-resistant plant palette, to the waterfall prominently seen from the dining area inside the house. Even the fenced veggie garden is on a grand scale to protect the owner’s roses and hydrangeas from the deer.

Some of plants that are not bothered by deer in this garden include the lavender flowering prosanthera or variegated mint bush. Both beautiful and fragrant, this small shrub makes a good hedge or accent plant in deer country.

Another blooming plant and favorite of mine, Petite Butterfly sweet pea, looked great paired with a helianthemum called Mesa Wine Sun Rose. The pink muhly grasses will bloom in the fall. The new, fresh Japanese blood grass also glowed in the late afternoon sun.

We talked about the accent boulders in the garden as we walked around. Albright-Souza explained that when the rocks were delivered, she earmarked the largest and most interesting for particular spots.

One is at the corner of the petanque court and seems to offer an invitation to sit a while. Another flat-topped boulder marks a junction of two walkways and also begs passers-by to try it out. Others were placed reminiscent of Japanese garden design.

A large dolphin sculpture was moved from a driveway location where few could enjoy it to a spot in the upper garden, where it serves as the focal point in a widening of the cobblestone paver path and can be viewed up close. Placing garden art in prominent places that can be seen from different parts of the garden is part of a good garden design.

If you are ready to transform your own space, consider some of these ideas. Understanding landscape styles, materials, structures, lighting and plants is part of the fun.

This spring, get inspired to transform your own garden.

-Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California certified nursery professional, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Email her at janis001@aol.com, or visit www.jannelsonlandscapedesign.com to view past columns and pictures.