A Gardener's Gift

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Any of us living in Savannah, Georgia can tell you how easy it is to be visually spoiled when it comes to historic architecture and secret gardens.

Living on historic Jones Street for five years, I peered through many a wrought iron gate to see what was in bloom.

Jennifer, my friend and fellow choir member, learning that I was intent on "getting my gardening on", asked me if I had the "Garden Guide to the Lower South." I replied I didn't and she insisted it was a valuable resource for anyone serious about gardening here in our particular region. (Thanks for the lovely wedding present!)

Compiled over the years by members of the Trustees Garden Club, the book is a vast collection of gardening wisdom that I hope to learn a lot from.

{ photo credit: Art Meripol of Southern Living, "Savannah's Secret Gardens" }

Our Front Door

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Russ put up the numbers yesterday and I made a quick little wreath out of greenery from around the house. The eucalyptus was left over from the wedding and the pine cones were lonely remnants of our neighbor's tree that no longer exists.

We finished in the nick of time because as the sun went down it became really cold (for us in Savannah). Eek, I woke up this morning to 32 degrees. I hope my newly planted agaves slept warm under their bed of mulch.

Adoring Agave

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I took this shot last year from my mother's garden in Florida. The beautiful blue agaves had taken over and Russ and I asked her for as many as she wanted to get rid of. She took us literally and came to visit us a week before our wedding with her car loaded. We thought the blue would work well for reception arrangements and then they would make themselves at home in our Savannah garden.

Last Saturday I drove to Daytona's Farmer's Market to set up a booth of some work and upon returning home, my mother filled my honda to the brim with loads of little irises. Like the agave, they had spread like green wildfire. I spent a couple of days this week settling them into their new earth and plan to get out there this afternoon to plant the rest.

All the Raise

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Raised garden beds are all the rage and for good reason. For one, there's order to the madness for those fearing their gardens might overrun their yard.

A small space often thwarts people from attempting a grandiose vegetable or decorative garden. Raised beds are easier (in my opinion) to maintain.

They also allow folks with poor, or less than ideal soil quality (such as clay or those living close to the sea) to create their own.

{ photo credit: apartment therapy & popular mechanics }

Fair Share and Hallogreen

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Fair Share: Sustainable Urban Agricultural Project is an organization I was briefly introduced to last year during a Halloween visit to Daytona. My friend and fellow designer, Nancy and I stumbled upon Hallogreen last year right around noon as things were wrapping up. We were both really impressed with the organization's vision and hoped to get involved the following (this) year.

Many folks in Daytona's Hallogreen are helping build a healthier giving community through the likes of non-profits such as Fair Share. I'm looking forward to sharing my artwork and meeting some amazing folks. Hope you can come join us:

"The Hallogreen® is opening this Saturday, October 30th from 8am to 12noon at the Daytona Beach Downtown Farmers Market (located near 105 E Magnolia Ave, 32114).

The Hallogreen® is a fun, healthy, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional Halloween festivities. It is a Green Halloween® event, part of a national nonprofit, grassroots community initiative to create healthier and more Earth-friendly holidays, starting with Halloween (greenhalloween.org).

The Hallogreen® is organized by volunteers of Florida EcoNet and Green Halloween®, as a fundraiser for The Fair Share Urban Agriculture Project (wedigfairshare.org)".

Glads for My Sister's Birthday

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Today's my sister Melanie's birthday. She has always loved gladiolas. I can't say I've ever been a big fan; at least not when I was younger. Perhaps I was more into the neutral understated wildflowers at the time and like Birds of Paradise, gladiolas have an amazing way of demanding attention. They are loud, colorful and beautiful, which is befitting of my sister, in more ways than one. Another thing I might add, my sister is the spitting image of Nonnie, our grandmother, and just as fiery. Happy Birthday Mel!

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If I could marry a picture... sigh. I don't think there could be a more luxurious tub in the world. Browsing through photos, I found these contemporary modern gardens, designed by garden designer Amir Schlezinger, to be something of a dream.

Excited for Our Garden

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Only two weeks until our return to steamy Savannah and a whirlwind of activity awaits. After our trip to Seoul yesterday and a surprise visit in the Sam Cheong Dong neighborhood, we are more than chomping at the bit to get our own garden going. I love this seemingly simple example of a garden featured in Domino's magazine, "Backyard Paradise"and really hope to incorporate some of these fresh ideas.

For the Bees

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In our gardens we have to remember the need for our friendly pollinators such as bees, butterflies, other insects and even the wind.

This a is a Leafcutter Bee Nest Block made of recycled wood by Andrew's Reclaimed Etsy shop. I love not only the craftsmanship of this piece, but also the detailed information Andrew conveys about the bees:

"Upon selecting a nest cavity, the female Leafcutter Bee starts collecting leaf bits to build an initial partition at the far end of the nest cavity. Fascinating to watch, like a tiny electric can opener, the female leafcutter uses her mandibles to cut nearly perfect semicircular pieces from smooth, lightweight leaves to create cells and line her nests".

I look forward to starting my own garden later this summer when we return to the States and I'd love to see these little guys in it.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Greenest of Them All?

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Let's just say that I am mightily impressed with the shop I found browsing Etsy today. "toHOLD" is modern tillandsia air plant shop selling living decor and terrariums; each piece is individually hand crafted. It goes to show that one can have a green thumb even if his or her time is quite limited. As many of us know, plants oxygenate our homes, but with Kara's designs, form and function truly do meet. I'd love to have this mirror in my home :)

If I Could Live in a Birdhouse ...

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... it would be this one. Of course no garden is complete without some fauna. Russ and I both enjoy birding. I know Nonnie (as did her daughter, my Mom) knew her bird calls. A robin, for instance, sounds like a rusty clothesline. As a child growing up in NYC, I mistook the cooing of morning doves for owls until my summers at Camp Cherith in the Adirondacks when I *really* heard an owl hoot. We'd love to have a vintage airstream of our own, but it just might be for the birds.

Airplant Terrarium

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I remember making a terrarium as a girl scout project around the age of eleven. The whole concept of a mini ecosystem existing simply via evaporation and condensation absolutely fascinated me. From there I learned about the Bell Jar Theory...

Already a Favorite (Planters Cont'd)

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Keeping the mod theme, I love this "Modern White Baby Head Vase Planter" by Mudpuppy. The second is a quilted planter of handmade stoneware pottery in silky white by artist, Julie Knowles. There's something to be said for the simple whiteness in contrast to the organic plant. The pot, though a container, does not compete with the plant inside. My first succulent, a jade plant (actually given to me by Nonni, was in a simple light grey cat planter. I had it for years and simply do not know what happened to it in the move.

Sexy and Witty (Recyclable) Ideas for Planters

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I was thrilled several months ago when Russ, on a trip up to Seoul, came home with April's issue of "Real Simple". In it, old Crocs were hung up by the heels with a piece of twine and used as hanging planters. Immediately I started thinking of other shoe planter ideas. I must confess, this etsy designer, Giddy Spinster, has the glam on me.

I love this dinosaur from Plaid Pigeon

Sweet Idea: The Forest and The Sea

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My mom is inundated with blue agave and I'd like to create variations of these terrariums using shells, sea glass, moss and of course a variety of succulents.

A Late Summer Garden

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I'm a big fan of container gardening but am especially looking forward to working with raised beds.

Peas, strings beans, carrots and many kinds of greens can still be grown in the late summer. I still have to find that house :) Starting small with perhaps a 5' x 5' framed bed might allow me to experiment better with soil, compost and drainage.

Many years ago, my good friend, Bev and I, back hoed a good part of her backyard with quite an ambitious garden. It was fun, and a lot of work, but like all good things worth having, it took a lot of time and patience.

A Garden Waiting for Me in Savannah

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Here I am in Korea with less than a month before Russ, the cats and I get on several long plane rides and return to our new & old home of Savannah. We are still looking for a house to rent, and one to eventually buy, but what can not wait is a garden.