On a muggy Thursday afternoon, a trio of tourists walking through the Garden District stopped on the sidewalk in front of a grand house on Washington Avenue. They peered over the fence, getting a furtive glance at the garden.

On a quick look — say from the front seat of a car zooming down busy Washington Avenue — it’s easy to miss the elegant parterre that stretches across the side yard of the house, an 1855 masterpiece designed by New Orleans’ most famous 19th century architect, James Gallier, and commissioned by James Robb, a prominent businessmen of the time. But from the sidewalk you can get a partial view of the magnificent yard.

Behind the hedges

THE GARDEN: A formal parterre in front and a lushly landscaped pool and patio in the back of a Garden District house

THE OWNERS: Cherie and Jonathan Thompson

THE DETAILS: Though the Thompsons started from scratch when they renovated the yards, the formal front garden mirrors a design that has been part of the 1855 House for at least two decades, if not longer. Symmetrical beds feature cone and sphere-shaped boxwoods, two espaliered European olive trees and a fountain the couple had moved from their previous home, creating a majestic — and meticulously manicured — space

WHY THEY LOVE IT: “I love shapely boxwoods. I just think they’re fun,” Cherie Thompson said. “Along the wall in the backyard are (Miami Supreme) gardenias. They’re so fragrant they just fill the air when they’re in bloom.”

The landscape is half hidden behind a close-clipped hedge of Japanese yew. It’s not exactly a secret garden, but it has a storybook air — somewhere you’d expect to see a princess, perhaps — when you peek behind the hedge and see the circular brick paths, tidy trimmed boxwoods and tiered fountain, its trickling water providing a natural soundtrack.

Parterres are painstakingly disciplined gardens. The tradition of planting beds in puzzle-like patterns and ornamental shapes became popular in 17th century Europe, where it was de rigueur for royal estates. The sophisticated style, according to several landscaping sources, grew out of medieval knot gardens, which separated plants from each other by small hedges.

Cherie and Jonathan Thompson love the symmetry of the classic design and found it fitting for the stately Garden District home they bought in 2007. Before moving in, the couple began a cosmetic renovation of the house, but also turned their attention to the landscape. The 5,000-square-foot home had few views of the garden, a problem the couple solved by adding additional windows.

A parterre was already in place in front, but the bricks were pulling up and it needed refurbishing. The backyard was dominated by a series of space-consuming sago palms (which, despite their common name, aren’t palms, but cycads.) The Thompsons decide a swimming pool would be preferable to the spiky sagos.

The couple engaged landscape architect Rene J.L. Fransen to design the yard, which now maintains its formality but provides a refuge for relaxation for the couple and their 10-month-old daughter, Claire.

Many old New Orleans houses traditionally featured formal gardens, Fransen said, though, it’s unknown if this house’s first owner planted one. The front parterre has been in place at least for two decades, if not longer.

The gardens of historic New Orleans homes often “had a rigid formality to the beds, but they had vegetables and fruit trees and things like that in them,” Fransen said. “They didn’t have free-form beds, but, because of the nature of the climate, the gardens weren’t formal because things grew like wild.”

In the Thompsons’ yard, Fransen pulled up the parterre’s bricks and re-laid them. The brick paths define the garden’s geometry as do neatly planted needlepoint hollies and Japanese yews. Shaped boxwoods, not a leaf out of place, are living finials, sprouting from the center of the beds.

The fountain, which was a beloved item from the couple’s previous home in the Irish Channel, became the centerpiece of the space, replacing a previous fountain that had been in the Garden District yard.

“It’s supposed to have koi in it,” Jonathan said, passing the fountain as he unlocked the gate that leads from the front to the backyard. “But right now, it just has a turtle.”

The wall and gate that borders the front garden was moved and rebuilt to make more room for the backyard. The gate opens to a slender pool and spacious patio. Traditional elements — New York red flagstone laid out in a diamond pattern, a large, urn-shaped fountain and Bevolo lights — echo the formality of the front yard, while lush gardens, framed by a green wall of Japanese blueberry trees, make it feel relaxed enough for hanging out.

“This pool comfortably seats 20 people,” said Cherie, who proved that statement during one of the couple’s outdoor parties. The pool’s long, narrow design also makes it good for lap swimming.

The Thompsons hired NOLA + Design, a landscape company owned by Aaron Adolph and Jonathan Steudlein, to handle the planting and maintenance for the entire property.

A pair of navel orange trees, loaded with still-green fruit, now flank the steps to the pool, while planters and beds are filled with blue plumbago, giant walking iris, dwarf white Robin Hill azaleas and a Japanese red maple.

One of the yard’s showpiece plants is an Anderson crepe hibiscus, with pale pink flowers and dark green foliage, trained to grow up a custom ironwork arch separating the driveway from pool area.

A covered patio is the place where the couple likes to sit with their coffee on weekend mornings and unwind with a glass of wine after a workday; Jonathan is in the film industry and Cherie is an accountant for a local non-profit.

Around the yard are two bronze statues — Lazarus and Isadora — both by Folsom sculptor William Binnings, Cherie’s uncle. “I have loved that statue (of Lazarus) for years,” she said.

The yard provides plenty of room for entertaining, with tables and outdoor seating, including a tiny iron and wood bistro set, shrunk down to child’s size. Cherie got it on her third birthday, and her parents held onto it even after she grew up.

When the Thompsons had Claire, Cherie’s parents gave the set to them, and Jonathan refinished it, adding a fresh coat of white paint. It now looks ready to host a new generation of tiny tea parties.

“This is another living room,” Cherie said. “It’s where we relax.”

Fujian, China — (SBWIRE) — 08/15/2013 — Green Roofs have become extremely popular over the years. A green roofing system helps www.greening-solution.com in covering the roof of the building partially or completely with vegetation, grass or various other small plants. A good roofing system offers a waterproofing membrane with additional layers like the roof barriers, irrigation and drainage systems. These are also known as living roofs which actually are beneficial in absorbing rainwater, lowering the air temperature, combating heat, providing insulation and many more.

At Greening Solution customers can find a variety of Gardening Materials and Green Roof Systems that they can use for landscaping backyards, rooftops, for usage in parking lots, tunnels and all other exteriors where they feel greenery can be incorporated. There are plastic grass pavers for making the parking lots stronger, greener and durable. These grass paving grids are made up of HDPE which is the high molecular polyethylene material with features such as fiber and age resistor. These plastic grass pavers are mostly used in various pavements and are usually seen as the green grass protection mats.

There are various grass reinforcement products such as the gravel grids which best Plastic Grass Pavers suit the high traffic areas such as parking lots, driveways, cycling or pedestrian trails, camping sites, home gardens, etc. The ground reinforcement products such as the driveway grass pavers are also used in heavy traffic areas. These pavers bring out a great pattern of green layers on the ground. The site provides useful information on how each of the grass reinforcement and ground reinforcement products should be installed. Outdoor spaces would look extremely impressive with the help of these gardening products. Be it backyards, porches, patios or huge landscapes surrounding big buildings and offices, there are products right here for all kinds of landscaping needs.

To know more about gardening products from Greening Solution, visit website www.greening-solution.com

About http://www.greening-solution.com
Greening Solution, http://www.greening-solution.com based at China is a site owned by Leiyuan Grass Paving Grid Industrial Company Limited is engaged in research and production of various plastic gardening materials for landscaping and roofing. They offer the most advanced equipments such as Green Roof System Materials, Grass and Ground Reinforcement Products, Plastic Grass Pavers Grid, Storage and Drainage Board for Green Roofs, Drain Cover, Vertical Greening Materials and Plant Containers.

Media Contact
Leiyuan Industrial Company Limited
Address: #6-501, Zhonglianhauting, Quanzhou, Fujian, China 362000
Phone Number: +86-595-2278-8697
Email address: greening@leiyuan.com
Website URL: http://www.greening-solution.com/

Boston – New England Grows will take place Wednesday, Feb. 5 – Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 at the Boston Convention Exhibition Center.

Always on the lookout for emerging trends and industry icons, New England Grows’ 30+ educational programs include:

Jane Knight, Landscape Architect for the Eden Project in Comwell, England. Eden is an extraordinary global garden featuring the largest rainforest in captivity as well as a Mediterranean landscape both growing within huge, geodesic domes. The Eden Project’s sole mission is to “inspire people to care about the natural world.” Jane does that and much more by sharing her experiences and expertise with others around the globe.

Nalini Nadkarni has been called “the queen of forest canopy research,” a field that relates directly to three of the most pressing environmental issues of our time: the maintenance of biodiversity, the stability of world climate, and the sustainability of forests. Nadkarni presents a rich tapestry of personal stories celebrating the profound connections we have with trees and the powerful lessons they hold for us.

Glyn Jones is the Garden Countryside Manager at Hidcote in Gloucestershire, U.K., one of the most influential English gardens of the early 20th century. His mission is to “future proof” the iconic garden against modern threats including climate change, while simultaneously researching and sharing as much as possible about the garden’s enigmatic genius creator: American, Lawrence Johnston.

The Grows 2014 speaker line up also includes well-known experts Bill Cullina on “New England Landscape Dynamics”; Michael Raupp on “What a Warming World Means for Pest Outbreaks”; and Dale Hendricks on “Fashionable Forgotten Plants.”

Garden Center Success – an energizing daylong seminar aimed directly at today’s independent garden center – is back by popular demand on Wednesday, February 5. Along with a variety of industry speakers, Alison Kenney Paul, Vice Chairman and U.S. Retail and Distribution Leader at Deloitte, will present “Store 3.0”- a close look at how traditional brick-and-mortar garden centers can stay relevant in today’s changing retail space.

Trendsetting design speakers include David Culp, Jenny Rose Carey, and Rick Bartel. Mark Bradley of Landscape Management Network, John Hughes of Hughes Nursery Landscaping, and Michael Katz of Blue Penguin Development will all share practical, business-building advice. A variety of timely industry topics will also be addressed including permaculture, fruit tree pruning, biological controls, pest and disease management, integrating edibles into the landscape, and living soil.

At New England Grows, green industry professionals can obtain most of their professional Continuing Education (CEU) credits under one roof with recertification opportunities for Pesticide Licenses, NOFA, APLD, LA CES, ISA, CTSP, and most state association credentials.

Registration opens in November. Enjoy special savings for early registration – $49 for all three days – when you sign up by January 15. The early registration price drops to just $45 per person when four or more people from the same company register together. Affordable admission fees, combined with exclusive deals on the expansive tradeshow floor, make New England Grows the best place to do business.

Keep up to date with all things “Grows” when you join New England Grows’ expanding community on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. For the latest program and registration information visit www.NewEnglandGrows.org.
 

On a muggy Thursday afternoon, a trio of tourists walking through the Garden District stopped on the sidewalk in front of a grand house on Washington Avenue. They peered over the fence, getting a furtive glance at the garden.

On a quick look — say from the front seat of a car zooming down busy Washington Avenue — it’s easy to miss the elegant parterre that stretches across the side yard of the house, an 1855 masterpiece designed by New Orleans’ most famous 19th century architect, James Gallier, and commissioned by James Robb, a prominent businessmen of the time. But from the sidewalk you can get a partial view of the magnificent yard.

Behind the hedges

THE GARDEN: A formal parterre in front and a lushly landscaped pool and patio in the back of a Garden District house

THE OWNERS: Cherie and Jonathan Thompson

THE DETAILS: Though the Thompsons started from scratch when they renovated the yards, the formal front garden mirrors a design that has been part of the 1855 House for at least two decades, if not longer. Symmetrical beds feature cone and sphere-shaped boxwoods, two espaliered European olive trees and a fountain the couple had moved from their previous home, creating a majestic — and meticulously manicured — space

WHY THEY LOVE IT: “I love shapely boxwoods. I just think they’re fun,” Cherie Thompson said. “Along the wall in the backyard are (Miami Supreme) gardenias. They’re so fragrant they just fill the air when they’re in bloom.”

The landscape is half hidden behind a close-clipped hedge of Japanese yew. It’s not exactly a secret garden, but it has a storybook air — somewhere you’d expect to see a princess, perhaps — when you peek behind the hedge and see the circular brick paths, tidy trimmed boxwoods and tiered fountain, its trickling water providing a natural soundtrack.

Parterres are painstakingly disciplined gardens. The tradition of planting beds in puzzle-like patterns and ornamental shapes became popular in 17th century Europe, where it was de rigueur for royal estates. The sophisticated style, according to several landscaping sources, grew out of medieval knot gardens, which separated plants from each other by small hedges.

Cherie and Jonathan Thompson love the symmetry of the classic design and found it fitting for the stately Garden District home they bought in 2007. Before moving in, the couple began a cosmetic renovation of the house, but also turned their attention to the landscape. The 5,000-square-foot home had few views of the garden, a problem the couple solved by adding additional windows.

A parterre was already in place in front, but the bricks were pulling up and it needed refurbishing. The backyard was dominated by a series of space-consuming sago palms (which, despite their common name, aren’t palms, but cycads.) The Thompsons decide a swimming pool would be preferable to the spiky sagos.

The couple engaged landscape architect Rene J.L. Fransen to design the yard, which now maintains its formality but provides a refuge for relaxation for the couple and their 10-month-old daughter, Claire.

Many old New Orleans houses traditionally featured formal gardens, Fransen said, though, it’s unknown if this house’s first owner planted one. The front parterre has been in place at least for two decades, if not longer.

The gardens of historic New Orleans homes often “had a rigid formality to the beds, but they had vegetables and fruit trees and things like that in them,” Fransen said. “They didn’t have free-form beds, but, because of the nature of the climate, the gardens weren’t formal because things grew like wild.”

In the Thompsons’ yard, Fransen pulled up the parterre’s bricks and re-laid them. The brick paths define the garden’s geometry as do neatly planted needlepoint hollies and Japanese yews. Shaped boxwoods, not a leaf out of place, are living finials, sprouting from the center of the beds.

The fountain, which was a beloved item from the couple’s previous home in the Irish Channel, became the centerpiece of the space, replacing a previous fountain that had been in the Garden District yard.

“It’s supposed to have koi in it,” Jonathan said, passing the fountain as he unlocked the gate that leads from the front to the backyard. “But right now, it just has a turtle.”

The wall and gate that borders the front garden was moved and rebuilt to make more room for the backyard. The gate opens to a slender pool and spacious patio. Traditional elements — New York red flagstone laid out in a diamond pattern, a large, urn-shaped fountain and Bevolo lights — echo the formality of the front yard, while lush gardens, framed by a green wall of Japanese blueberry trees, make it feel relaxed enough for hanging out.

“This pool comfortably seats 20 people,” said Cherie, who proved that statement during one of the couple’s outdoor parties. The pool’s long, narrow design also makes it good for lap swimming.

The Thompsons hired NOLA + Design, a landscape company owned by Aaron Adolph and Jonathan Steudlein, to handle the planting and maintenance for the entire property.

A pair of navel orange trees, loaded with still-green fruit, now flank the steps to the pool, while planters and beds are filled with blue plumbago, giant walking iris, dwarf white Robin Hill azaleas and a Japanese red maple.

One of the yard’s showpiece plants is an Anderson crepe hibiscus, with pale pink flowers and dark green foliage, trained to grow up a custom ironwork arch separating the driveway from pool area.

A covered patio is the place where the couple likes to sit with their coffee on weekend mornings and unwind with a glass of wine after a workday; Jonathan is in the film industry and Cherie is an accountant for a local non-profit.

Around the yard are two bronze statues — Lazarus and Isadora — both by Folsom sculptor William Binnings, Cherie’s uncle. “I have loved that statue (of Lazarus) for years,” she said.

The yard provides plenty of room for entertaining, with tables and outdoor seating, including a tiny iron and wood bistro set, shrunk down to child’s size. Cherie got it on her third birthday, and her parents held onto it even after she grew up.

When the Thompsons had Claire, Cherie’s parents gave the set to them, and Jonathan refinished it, adding a fresh coat of white paint. It now looks ready to host a new generation of tiny tea parties.

“This is another living room,” Cherie said. “It’s where we relax.”

Gardeners who thought they were giving a helpful boost to their local bee populations by planting “bee friendly” gardens may in fact be doing more harm than good, according to a new study released today.

Environmental groups Friends of the Earth-US and the Pesticide Research Institute tested a small sample of plants purchased from Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Orchard Supply Hardware (which is currently being acquired by Lowe’s), and found that just over half of the plants had been pre-treated with pesticides that they say are known to kill bees.

“The pilot study confirms that many of the plants sold in nurseries and garden stores across the U.S. have been pre-treated with systemic neonicotinoid insecticides, making them potentially toxic to pollinators,” said Timothy Brown, co-author of the study and associate scientist with the Pesticide Research Institute.

Thirteen samples were purchased in the San Francisco Bay area, the Washington, D.C. area and in Minneapolis, and were made up of soft-stemmed flowering plants known to attract both bees and pest insects like aphids. The plants included squash, tomato, pumpkin, zinnia, daisy, salvia and gaillardia.

Of the samples tested, the tomato plant purchased in California had the highest concentration of pesticide.

Stephen Holmes, a spokesperson with Home Depot, says they haven’t yet reviewed the study. “But the importance of the bee population is something we take very seriously, so we’ll be reaching out to the study groups to learn more.”

Lowe’s did not respond to our request for an interview.

Bayer Crop Science said in an email that they have not seen the report, and cannot comment on its scientific merit, “except to say that extensive research has shown that neonicotinoids are not responsible for honey bee colony decline.”

“The fact that residues of a registered product were allegedly found in some ornamental plants does not mean that honey bees were exposed to them, nor does it indicate causation for colony decline, which most experts attribute to a number of factors, including parasites, diseases, nutritional deficiencies, beekeeping practices and loss of habitat,” adds Bayer spokesperson Becca Hogan.

It’s a stance the company also took when they launched a controversial “bee tour” last spring, and on its “Bee Care” website, which claims that bee losses are not a new phenomenon, and that the “overall number of honey bee colonies worldwide has increased by some 45 percent over the last 50 years, not decreased.”

The European Union disagrees, and is expected to suspend the use of three neonic pesticides later this year, after an earlier study identified risks to bees exposed to the insecticides.

There’s plenty of skeptisism here at home too. Last month lawmakers introduced the Save America’s Pollinators Act, which would direct the EPA to “suspend use of the most bee-toxic neonicotinoids for use in seed treatment, soil application, or foliar treatment on bee attractive plants within 180 days, and to review these neonicotinoids and make a new determination about their proper application and safe use.”

Why is this class of pesticides getting such scrutiny?

As we told you earlier this spring, unlike older pesticides, neonicotinoids are typically applied to seeds before planting crops like corn and soybeans. It’s then taken up through the vascular system of the plant and expressed through the pollen and nectar, which bees rely on for food. (Bees aren’t the only worry. There are also serious concerns that neonicotinoids are harming birds and aquatic life as well.)

According to Paul Towers, spokesperson for the Pesticide Action Network, the introduction of neonicotinoids onto farms in the mid-2000s coincides with more widespread bee-colony collapses than had been seen before. The group has filed a lawsuit with the Environmental Protection Agency to curb the widespread use of the pesticide.

The new study comes with plenty of recommendations for keeping bees safe, aimed at everyone from garden retailers to municipalities to consumers. They include stopping the use of all neonicotinoids on landscaping plants, and a call for stores to stop offering pesticides like Merit or Meridian on store shelves.

“This is just a snapshot of how the pesticides are being used in home garden plants,” says Brown. “But I think it’s a really important study for people to be aware of when they plan out their gardens next season, and we hope the retailers will take some action on this.”

Green roofing – the practice of planting vegetation on a building’s roof or terrace – is the ultimate in urban landscaping, making the most of extremely limited space to bring a flash of greenery to a cityscape.

For inmidtown, the Business Improvement District for Bloomsbury, Holborn and St Giles, it’s about more than making London’s roofs easy on the eye though.

The business benefits are significant, yet largely untapped. From improved employee engagement and productivity; to reduced carbon emissions, green roofs could save businesses millions in energy costs. They can improve a property’s value too, and even reduce noise entering the building.

The environmental benefits are just as clear. In addition to improving insulation and thereby reducing carbon emissions and energy costs, they’re an intelligent solution for businesses that hich want to adapt to climate change, which means that rainfall bursts will become shorter but more intensive, especially in summer.

Green roofs can help to contain flash flooding and improve the quality of water run-off, with Environment Agency research noting that both nitrogen and phosphorus can be reduced through green roofs. Furthermore, green roofs provide a habitat for wildlife, support the local environment by helping to lower urban air temperatures, and improve air quality. Growing fruit and vegetables, which can be used by businesses to supplement produce they buy, is the latest evolution of London’s green roofs.

As part of inmidtown’s bid to make the area London’s most sustainable commercial district, it recently launched two organic fruit and vegetable edible gardens across central London businesses. In addition to the host of environmental benefits already discussed, these gardens support hyper-local production of produce, and enable businesses to reduce the food miles associated with their usual orders, so offer yet another incentive.

The green roofs scheme is currently supported by organisations in the area such as law firm Olswang, and the Bloomsbury Street Hotel, which are growing edible roof gardens, whilst on a further two green roofs, law firm Mischon de Reya and the Trade Union Congress are growing wildflowers to support the local bee population.

The Bloomsbury Street Hotel, before and after. Photograph: inmidtown

The amount of upkeep needed for these roofs is minimal. The companies have established gardening clubs to maintain them, which are great for employee engagement too. Olswang’s gardening club not only ensures that employees can take a proper lunch break, but also that people from different areas of the business mix together. A gardening club offers an ideal, organic, opportunity for staff from all areas of the business to unite for a common goal.

Green roofs provide a good place to pop outside for a quick break for hard-working employees, and are also great for client entertainment. Olswang gave clients honey produced by its own bees last Christmas. The inmidtown Urban Bee Project encourages local businesses to give homes to hives and provide small areas of forage in the area for bees, another component to its bid to make the area London’s most sustainable commercial district.

The process of installing green roofs is streamlined, all the businesses involved in the scheme use pocket habitats, which are a series of small modular sacks filled with soil and planted. This is a far tidier, cheaper and quicker method than planting a full roof, and has the added benefit of providing form and structure to an area.

Each pocket habitat is an independent unit composed of variously textured and coloured recycled substrates and wildflower seed. The composite felt material is specifically engineered to optimise drainage to ensure plants do not become waterlogged. Drainage is a key function of green roofs – inmidtown’s project was partly funded by a £15,000 grant from Drain London, and the five roofs alone will re-use nearly 87,000l of rainwater.

Furthermore, pocket habitats can be tessellated to create mosaic that specifically allows for biodiversity. They are also easily portable, which is ideal for our roofs growing vegetables, as these can be seasonally harvested and then re-used.

Green roofs are a crucial development for London’s businesses, if we want to create and promote ourselves as a low-carbon city and a global leader in sustainability. Utilising the collective strength of its members, the inmidtown BID aims to establish an effective and practical model that can, and with any luck will, be replicated across the city.

Tass Mavrogordato is CEO of inmidtown, the Business Improvement District for Bloomsbury, Holborn and St Giles

The Second Annual Gardens of Merit Awards recognizes individuals and businesses in the Town of Del Norte who are beautifying their properties. Mike Demuth won Best of Show for Residential Gardens for his xeriscape design

DEL NORTE Sponsored by the High Valley Community Center (HVCC) and the Del Norte Chamber of Commerce, the Second Annual Gardens of Merit Awards recognizes individuals in the Town of Del Norte who are beautifying their properties.

During the last of week of July, a panel of six community members gave awards to two businesses for the commercial category and to five homeowners for the residential category.

The awards are brass plaques, which state: Garden of Merit, Del Norte, 2013. In addition, two individuals were recognized with Best of Show monetary awards of $100.

Konnie and Steve Crawford have created a place that has been enhancing the Town of Del Norte for years. Konnie plants perennials, and all sides of Wildwood Sounds at 850 Grande Avenue are a symphony of color.

In a very short time, Marsha Ensz has created a stunning new addition to the Town of Del Norte through her shop The Columbine at 540 Grand Avenue. She has used paint, awnings and flowers to make a welcoming, memorable statement. She is to be congratulated and has won Best of Show for commercial gardens. She will receive a $100 cash prize from Del Norte Bank.

Located at 345 French Street, the home of Robert Fresquez, Chief of Police for the Town of Del Norte, has a beautiful welcoming display of flowers. He says his grandparents inspired him. He wishes to thank his neighbors for doing such a beautiful job with their properties.

Kathy Dickman at 70 Yucca Court combines perennials and annuals to produce a serene, colorful environment. Each of her flower beds has been created while she was experiencing some kind of personal crisis. When complete, she calls them victory gardens.

Ray and Wanda Pacheco of 505 Hermosa Street have a beautiful perennial garden, which is a virtual work of art. For at least 20 years, Ray has planted and tended the flowers that bloom at various times and keep the property beautiful throughout the summer.

Jean and Joann Griffin of 755 Cedar Street have worked on their flower beds and landscaping since the 1990s. Joann is inspired by her mother, and she has incorporated wagon wheels and antiques from the family farm in Texas.

Mike Demuth has single handedly transformed the property at 575 8th Street, which he is renting and hoping one day to purchase. He has combined xeriscape techniques with well placed, colorful flowers. He has done all this work himself and has won Best of Show for residential gardens. He will receive a $100 prize from the Del Norte Bank.

The organizers of Gardens of Merit wish to thank all the winners. It was extremely hard to choose just seven, since there are so many people creating lovely environments. A special thank you to La Garita Nursery in South Fork for their help with the Gardens of Merit float in the Covered Wagon Days Parade. Also, thanks are extended to the Colorado Garden Show, Inc. and to the board of the Del Norte Bank for their generous support.

Los Angeles residents who grow fruits and vegetables near their front curb will get a respite from the city’s code enforcement officials, under a measure approved Tuesday by the City Council.

The council voted unanimously to ask city agencies to temporarily suspend rules that restrict the cultivation of gardens in the parkway, the area between the sidewalk and the curb. While enforcement is suspended, city officials will continue to work on new rules governing parkway landscaping, said Council President Herb Wesson.

“What we need is a little more time to try to sort out how we can do this,” said Wesson, who proposed the suspension.

As a result, some gardeners have received notices instructing them to remove raised beds, tall fruit trees or lush vegetable gardens. The city’s municipal code requires parkways to remain free from obstructions to allow pedestrians to pass, according to Wesson’s proposal.

Tuesday’s vote was welcomed by Los Feliz resident Abbie Zands, who said he received two notices from the city ordering him to remove his parkway garden of kale, squash, chard, herbs and cherry tomatoes. Zands said his garden provides a local benefit.

“I feel like it’s really helping to build community in our neighborhood, because people are always stopping and talking about what’s growing,” he told the council.

Wesson offered his proposed earlier this month, after Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez put a spotlight on the gardeners who were being ordered to remove their plants or appear in court for failing to do so.

South Los Angeles resident Angel Teger, who also received a removal order from the city, said the council’s decision will show that the city “supports better health and nutrition for all of its residents.”

ALSO:

LAPD’s vehicle-impound policy to remain, for now

Update to state payroll system hurt by lax oversight, report says

State senators urge maker of OxyContin to turn over names of physicians

Twitter: @davidzahniser

david.zahniser@latimes.com

 

By Helen Pemberton | Palo Pinto County Master Gardener

August is a very difficult month to plant new landscapes in Palo Pinto County. Historically, the weather is hot and dry with no hope for relief until the first cold fronts come through in September.

All new landscapes – even well-planned xeriscape gardens – require a period of establishment. So August is better used as a planning time.

The new landscape (or a few new plants) will survive better if installed in the fall or spring.

However, there is work to do in August. Now is the time to visit well-established gardens to get inspiration for your own garden.

Go and see what is blooming in the heat of summer. Notice which plants have finished blooming and still supply structure and interest. Pay attention to plant combinations and interesting arrangements.

Imagine the things you like being transplanted to your yard and ask yourself:

• Are they too big?

• Could you plant fewer of them?

• Are they too small?

Ask other gardeners about their planting experiences. They can tell you where they look for inspiration and about their “champion” plants.

Make lists of the things that you like, take photos, walk around your property and imagine the plantings you desire.

So, where can one go to get inspired?

If you live in Palo Pinto County, you are surrounded by opportunity! There are three gardens that are just wonderful to visit:

• Clark Gardens Botanical Park, east of Mineral Wells, at 567 Maddux Road, about one mile north of U.S. Highway 180. Admission is $7 ($5 for young children and seniors). For information, call (940) 682-4856, or visit www.clarkgardens.org.

• The Vietnam Memorial Gardens, located at the National Vietnam War Museum grounds, also east of Mineral Wells on U.S. 180. Admission is free and the gardens are open to the public from dawn to dusk every day of the week. For information, visit www.nationalvnwarmuseum.org.

• Chandor Gardens, in Weatherford, located at 711 W. Lee Ave. Admission is $5. For information, call (817) 613-1700.

The Palo Pinto County Master Gardeners have installed successful plantings at the Courthouse, Extension Office and Historic Christian Church in Palo Pinto.  The Parker County Master Gardeners have demonstration gardens at the Parker County Extension Office, 604 N Main St., Weatherford.  The Fort Worth Botanic Gardens (I30 at University Dr., Fort Worth) are generally outstanding, and they have a dedicated Native Texas Garden which can really pique your imagination.

When driving through neighborhoods, you probably notice some yards are more appealing to you than others. Stop to think about what makes them appealing.

It could be specific plants that you like.

It could be a combination of plants, mulch, sidewalks, benches or maybe even a water feature.  

Write down any ideas you want to consider. Keep in mind that in today’s drier climate, we need to conserve water. That means a landscape needing lots of water – such as lawns, tropical foliage or mossy groundcover – should be planted somewhere with a wet climate, not Palo Pinto County!

August is a time for us to stay cool, enjoy iced drinks, visit inspirational gardens and plan future landscaping. If you or someone you know has an inspirational garden, the Palo Pinto Master Gardeners would like to know.

Also, call the Palo Pinto County Extension Office at 940-659-1228 if you would be interested in a Mineral Wells Garden Tour Day in October or April (and which you would prefer).

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Experts say homeowners should keep their pets in mind when they plan landscaping projects.

Kim Todd, University of Nebraska-Lincoln associate professor in agronomy, says homeowners can create hazards for pets with landscaping.

Todd says dog owners should provide turf for their pets to run around and play in.

Todd warned about mulching gardens with cocoa bean mulch, as cocoa beans can be unhealthy for animals.

And certain plans can be toxic if they are ingested, so homeowners should make sure whatever they plant is safe.

Homeowners should also be careful with herbicides and follow directions.