Glass + Art = Landscape Jewelry February 26, 2012

Art in the garden is just one way to express your own statement of style and personality. As a designer who is like a cat attracted to shiny objects, glass is very difficult for me to resist. Many of my clients have budding collections of glass garden art and I have to admit my jealousy. I endeavor to have my own collection someday too.

Luckily for me, I have a friend, Barbara Sanderson of Glass Gardens NW and she graciously allows me to have fun designing with her glass frequently. Barbara’s art has been recognized across the country in magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens and Fine Gardening, blogs and at large shows across the country including the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

This year at the 2012 Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Barbara created a custom design for an award winning display garden, created by Sublime Garden Design where she made a flickering glass fire, one of the focal point pieces in the display. They were gorgeous!! I could see those in someones home where a real fire might not be feasible, but the ambiance is desired.

Here is what it looked like in the display- very elegant!

The Glass Gardens NW booth was bedecked in garden jewelry! Here are some pictures of what was being snapped up during the four day extravaganza where gardens and art collide.

Glass Flowers

Glass Flowers

Icicles lit up from within and Glass Leaves

Truly Garden Jewelry! Water Features- SO pretty

Birdbaths, Flowers and Water Features

HOT sellers- Birds and Cattails!

Containers designed by The Personal Garden Coach with Glacicles and Leaves

Below is a slide showing the “Fiddlesticks” that are so popular for Glass Gardens NW in a container that I designed.

Fiddlesticks in Spring fresh colors!

Here is a peak at some glass art from Glass Gardens NW in containers by The Personal Garden Coach.

Left is a brand new design for 2012 "Glacicles"

Colorful glass leaves!

 

Glacicles in the snow!!

Now THAT is some winter color!

 

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of Garden Jewelry, for more information, you can also reach Glass Gardens NW via Facebook too. Go “LIKE” the page!  Be sure to look for more great Garden Art ideas coming soon from my visit to the Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show!

 

2012 Northwest Flower and Garden Show – Miniature Gardening Craze February 21, 2012

The Miniature Gardening craze is finally getting the recognition it deserves. You must know that I am quite biased on this topic as I have connections to THE BEST in Miniature Gardening in the form of my friend Janit Calvo, owner and designer at Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center.

Janit and I partnered on our Container Garden Display at the 2011 Northwest Flower and Garden Show. Our theme, “Eat, Pray, Love” was a big hit! Janit displayed all three parts of the book/movie in Mini-Container Gardens! I designed the accompanying tropical themed larger containers for our backdrop themed in Thailand.

This year at the 2012 Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Janit took the Fairy Themed Gardens in her display to a whole new level of fantasy! Many of you may not know that Janit is a trained artist far beyond what anyone would guess-she’s amazing! She had some great fun embellishing the containers in her display. Little gems and glitter were everywhere in this cheery display on the Skybridge of the Seattle Convention Center. This lovely little spot was a magnet for people to spend few minutes, admiring and analyzing new details with every pass. In the evening was when it really came alive, with twinkling lights and sparkle bits, though I had a  hard time capturing that light with my camera to show you here.

Janit and her husband Steve ran a delightful little shop booth at the show too! They sold a serious quantity of everything you can imagine needing to create your own Mini-Garden of ALL shapes sizes and style. From plants to miniature Robots, if you couldn’t find something to fit your gardening personality in small form at this booth- it isn’t out there!

 

Be sure to look for Janit Calvo’s book on Miniature Gardening to come out from Timber Press in the Fall of 2012. Janit is THE authority on the topic and has been an expert for over 10 years. This book is going to be a huge hit! Until then, if you want to talk Mini-Gardening with the GURU, you can find Janit’s wonderful Two Green Thumbs Page on Facebook.

Northwest Flower and Garden Show – Symphony of Flower Bulbs February 16, 2012

The Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle just ended and as I spend the countless hours editing my numerous photos, I realize that I have much too much great color, design ideas and details to share with all of you for one simple blog post. And far be it from me to ever be simple!

How will I be able to share as much of the show as I possibly can with you, without short-changing any of the fabulous elements that make up one of the biggest shows in the country? (Our Seattle show is 2nd in the US only to the Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show- where I will be in about 2 weeks!)

My plan is to show you parts of the show by thematic element rather than by designer, vendor or big garden display, in a number of posts over time. Hopefully you will follow along and maybe even feel like, if you couldn’t attend the show, that you got a great sense of what you missed. Maybe you will even be motivated enough to attend next year. With a theme for the 2013 show like “Hollywood” there is bound to be some serious fun. I can’t wait – maybe I will even decide to jump into the spectacle once again!

If you want to delve yet even deeper into the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, you can Tweet with other #NWFGS fans on Twitter here or you can “Like” the Facebook page here, and chat with all the other devoted show Followers.

Today’s post will focus on flower bulbs which were more than voluminous throughout the entire show. From basic to exotic, spring was definitely filling the air with fragrant bulbs. I found bulbs in almost every single corner of the show, so it’s as good of a place to start as any!

In later posts I will cover Orchids, Lighting, Miniature Gardening, Terrariums, Water Features and so much more. We ought to be able to get some of our spring groove on well into the warm weather to get you going!

Still can’t get enough of the show? I know, I understand that you need your fix, here is a short list of Blogs and Articles that have also posted about the Northwest Flower and Garden Show to give you even more variety at a glance. In the next post I will share some other ones too:

http://bggarden.com/blog/

http://www.valeaston.com/

http://turnerphotographics.com/blog/2012/02/11/northwest-flower-garden-show-2012/

http://www.jpetersongardendesign.com/2012/02/northwest-flower-garden-show/

http://desertnw.wordpress.com/

http://nextgenerationgardener.blogspot.com/2012/02/2012-northwest-flower-and-garden-show.html

http://inthegarden.marthastewart.com/2012/02/06/northwest-flower-garden-show/

http://www.gardenhelp.org/garden-show/northwest-flower-garden-show-2012-its-a-wrap/

http://www.gardenfreshliving.com/2012/02/2012-northwest-flower-garden-show-highlight-video.html

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/08/2017056/paradise-found.html

http://reddirtramblings.com/?p=19357

http://bwisegardening.blogspot.com/

Please comment and share this post and if you are on Pinterest feel free to Pin these photos! If Pinterest is new to you, take a peak at my “The Personal Garden Coach” Boards to see what all the fuss is about- be warned it’s VERY addictive!

Snippets of a Winter Garden Under Glass January 30, 2012

Heuchera, Heucherella, Pansy and Viola

Ice as Garden Art in the Landscape January 26, 2012

Recently our La Nina winter proved its muscle in a move that took many of us by surprise. We went from utterly spring weather with the landscape feeling as if it is about to burst to life, to snow, power outages, an amazing ice storm that no one saw coming and then a wind storm.

Below is a sampling of some of the best images I captured over the three-day period. There are a few neat before and after shots so you can see the morphing of the landscape the way I did. I saw the ice as such beautiful nature made art. I hope you enjoy these shots as much as I had fun getting them!

Gold Ilex Crenata

 

One of the many ponds in my neighborhood the day of the ice storm.

 

The same pond the day after the ice storm.

 

Viburnum Davidii

 

'Thunderhead' Pine

 

Red Twig Dogwood

 

Blue Oat Grass

 

Miscanthus Sinensis 'Morning Light'

 

Gold Variegated Yucca

 

Euphorbia 'Glacier Blue' the day before the ice storm

 

Same Euphorbia 'Glacier Blue' the day of the ice storm

 

Heuchera 'Purple Ruffles' in a bronze container

 

Gold glass art with bird in front of a 'Gold Thread' Cypress

If you saw the garden today, with a few exceptions, it’s as if the whole storm never happened. Isn’t Mother Nature grand?

Consider Your Gardens “Bones” in Winter January 16, 2012

Does your garden have eye-catching focal points during the long months of winter? I hope the answer is yes! But, if not, this is the best time of the year to spend taking inventory of your gardens weaker points when it comes to structure or what we Designer types refer to as the “Bones” of the garden.

'Crimson Queen' Japanese Maple

This Maple sits outside my dining room, framed perfectly by the window. It’s stunning year round. They are covered in snow here, but in the pot are some stainless steel balls that look so cool! One thing that I always take note of this time of the year when I look at the deciduous shrubs and trees is their form. Do they need to be pruned for shape, directing growth or opening them up for more light?

Blooms from Hydrangea Paniculata Standard 'Angel Blush'

One of the beautiful things I appreciate in the garden are the summer plants that I leave for winter interest. I purposely leave the dried blooms on this Hydrangea because I adore the way they look in winter. Then I trim then back just as they bud out in spring.

Zebra Grass plumes in the snow

Miscanthus 'Morning Light' with Leucothoe 'Rainbow'

Another key element to consider when you are analyzing your winter garden and planning for spring planting is to note how much balance you have between your evergreen plants versus your deciduous or perennial plants. Do you need more of one or the other?

Pinus 'Thunderhead' with Miscanthus Zebrinus

The dark green of this Pine and the tones of the grass together with all of the texture is yummy!

This shot really spoke to me about considering the “Bones” the most. The pure white snow just makes it so stark and easy to concentrate on the shapes, lines, proportion and textures without the distraction of color. I recommend frequently that my clients  stand back or go upstairs and take shots from a distance and print them in black and white for just THIS purpose. Without the distraction of color, you can really SEE the “Bones”.

Below, see my friend and Plantsman extraordinaire, Mitch Evans garden illustrating my point perfectly! From the entry arch to conifers, to PALMS? to deciduous trees and shrubs, it’s easy to see the shapes and textures that are SO showy this time of the year!

Photo courtesy of Mitch Evans

Photo courtesy of Mitch Evans

Mitch uses these well pruned boxwood to expertly frame this Weeping ‘Camperdown’ Elm.

Even your Garden Art can get some attention for where it’s placed, how you view it, or what you have it paired with for it’s best showing.

Don’t miss your next opportunity to take a deeper look at your garden and evaluate the “Bones” this winter. Then when you’re hitting the ground running in your spring garden, you will know exactly where to start!

Garden Designer’s Roundtable – Getting From Here to There September 27, 2011

Path: Definition – Course or Way. Synonyms: aisle, artery, avenue, beat, beaten path, boulevard, byway, cross-cut, direction, drag, footpath, groove, highway, lane, line, pass, passage, pathway, procedure, rail, road, roadway, route, rut, shortcut, street, stroll, terrace, thoroughfare, track, trail, walk, walkway.

You can certainly look at getting from here to there from the broad perspective OR in close detail. Enjoy the collages of pictures that I gathered for you to look at getting from here to there from a few different vantage points.  

Sometimes getting from here to there means focusing on the short ends of coming and goings like entrances and exits. 

More home landscapes are trending toward emphasizing the street view of the front garden with very unique and interesting entry paths and gardens. 

Creativity and artistry are shown with different materials for gates and railings that help to define the personality of the garden or homeowner’s style. 

The wide variety of path and walkway selections for materials are as vast as your imagination can envision. From decomposed granite, ground covers, brick, wood, lawn, mulch, cork, slate tiles or log rounds, you can create a path that defines your personal style and suits your environment. 

Adding beautiful places to pause and appreciate craftsmanship and artistic expression make the walk even more enjoyable! 

Repetition by using design cues and long visual lines carry the viewer along the path.

Details can make or break the design and stick in the memory of those enjoying the garden. Decorative, dramatic and unique elements make a garden memorable. 

A viewpoint at the end of a path is a dramatic and memorable component of getting from here to there. 

Grand paths create vista points in large gardens. Pull over and take a picture! 

Exits and entry’s can be unforgettable even for a casual garden. 

Sometimes a hidden garden is on the other end of the path!

Getting to this quaint seating area is a lovely experience with this well-groomed informal pathway. 

Please take some time to read and invest a comment or two in blog posts (links below) written by other Lords and Ladies of the Garden Designer’s Roundtable and most especially our esteemed guest posters Debra Prinzing and David Perry. 

Debra Prinzing & David Perry:  A Fresh Bouquet

Pam Penick : Digging : Austin, TX

Scott Hokunson : Blue Heron Landscapes : Granby, CT

Rebecca Sweet : Gossip In The Garden : Los Altos, CA

Jenny Peterson : J Peterson Garden Design : Austin TX

Susan Cohan : Miss Rumphius’ Rules : Chatham, NJ

Susan Morrison : Blue Planet Garden Blog : East Bay, CA

Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO

Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK

Brainstorming A Container Garden Design: “Black & Tan” June 11, 2010

Brainstorming ideas for container gardens is really no different from any other type of garden inspiration process. An idea can jump-start from anything really.

Garden art:

Or the container itself can demand a certain color combination:

My "Teal Pot Theory" in action

But in this case, it was a little plant that inspired this combination for me! The “Phantom” Black petunia, with its creamy, rich stripe had me at “Hello”! Even through the pouring, cold rain, I was inspired to maximize the caramel, chocolate, purple tones of the petunia to the max.

This container design was a custom request, with my very FAVORITE requisite, “make it awesome”. I love a challenge like that! Below is the result of my creative passion today. Hopefully it will fill out the way I think it will and be a huge, sexy mass of interesting texture and luscious colors and tones.

The “Black & Tan” name for this combo is thanks to @MJausson via Twitter, with a little nod to @PatFitzgerald thrown in for good measure!

I made this in mirror image so that it could be viewed from both sides too!

This turned out to be one of my favorite containers that I have ever done, I can’t wait to get a picture of it in a month or two!

**Bonus for staying with me all the way to the bottom of this post: If you want to win a super cool spin composter from

Clean Air Gardening, then leave a comment on this post. I will draw a name randomly from a hat and you will have a new composter on your doorstep before you can say “sustainable gardening”!!

Thank you Clean Air Gardening!

Garden Designer’s Roundtable-”Container Style” May 25, 2010

When we move into a new house, condominium or apartment, many of us dream about how we can start personalizing our space and really give it our personal signature. Adding your personal flair to a garden in the form of a long term design plan or potentially even construction takes planning and lots of money.
You can easily get that instant gratification by adding a container garden or maybe even more than one special
container in various focal point places for your garden, patio or balcony. A personal statement that is unique and
defines your garden personality can be made in a million different ways such as through color, theme, scale or drama.

The little nursery where I work has me design containers for sale as well as custom designs for customers. I also create container gardens for my own “Personal Garden Coach” clients and of course myself! I need to have a VERY flexible design attitude to be able to change with the customer or client as well as creating container gardens for anyone who may fancy them at the nursery. This may mean that I design a container that is pink and feminine one minute and then create a modern contemporary creation for a bachelor pad the next! This gives me a wonderful perspective for using plants in a large number of ways that may not be typical, in other words, I have creative license to use whatever my imagination allows.

I think that one of the most valuable ways to understand the potential for containers in your space is through pictures and I have many! A number of them are just quick snaps that I take at the nursery very quickly as I put them out for sale and others are from my garden, clients garden or shows I’ve attended.

Some women get all crazy about shoes, for me it’s pottery!! OK, make that any container really. As long as it has drainage, or even the potential for drainage, it’s fair game in my book. I’m not going to go into all of the myriad of possibilities for various container options or we could be here all day. Let’s just suffice it to say for this post, that any and all are just fine by me!

A container as a focal point is a design strategy that is used by many as a way to draw the eye to a particular point or area in the garden. One of my favorite new containers is seen best from inside my house, silhouetted against my neighbors home. Here are a few pics of the garden and the focal point pot as it was installed and as the garden began to mature over the seasons. In the foreground is a spectacular Hydrangea Paniculata that blooms right there in the window for a full on summer display!

Frequently I allow the container to determine the design of the plants. I will choose a container that inspires me for a particular spot and then let the plants show off or support the shape and color of the container.

I hope you enjoy these pictures that I’ve assembled here. Leave me a comment and share how you make your containers special!

Close up details are fun in containers too!

Don’t forget to have a little sense of humor.  :-)

Garden Designer’s Roundtable is wonderful group of garden bloggers who also happen to be terrific designers. Please visit their posts on “Containers” as well.

This month’s bloggers!

Debbie Roberts : A Garden of Possibilities : Stamford, CT

Jenny Petersen: J Petersen Garden Design : Austin TX

Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO

Laura Livengood Schaub : Interleafings : San Jose, CA

Rebecca Sweet : Gossip In the Garden : Los Altos, CA

Rochelle Greayer : Studio “G” : Boston, MA

Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK

Scott Hokunson : Blue Heron Landscapes : Granby, CT

Shirley Bovshow : Eden Makers : Los Angeles, CA

Tara Dillard : TaraDillard.com : Atlanta, GA

The San Francisco Flower and Garden Show- Container Drama March 31, 2010

Container gardening is one of my particular favorite things about garden design. So when I was looking for my unique “take” on one aspect of  the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show I knew it had to be about the abundance of ideas for dramatic container garden plantings that you had to see!

With styles ranging from modern to whimsical, country to antique, and natural to edible there was a plethora of fantastic design concepts that can be translated into ANY garden.

Here are some that I found to be interesting and noteworthy. This should inspire you to get out there and be creative with your containers too. Many of these are planted with found or recycled objects. Try something new, get out of your comfort zone and define your space so that it will reflect your personal style!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for taking a moment to visit my photos. And a BIG thank you to Laura Schaub for inviting and organizing all of us Garden Bloggers at the show. Applause applause!