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Leaf Magazine - Celebrate spring with a fresh approach to design outside!
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s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
Welcome Spring!
leaf Flower Markets around the world
Behind the scenes at philly
CHADWICK 6’
Extraordinary Craftsmanship, Graceful Design and Lasting Beauty
877 866 3331 www.oxfordgarden.com
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 3
In EvEry IssuE 8 Letter from the Editors 10 Contributors
shop 16 Garden Benches 18 Style Yourself… Style Your Garden 22 Aha! Modern Living
found 24 Seed Catalogs 28 Handmade Garden Projects 32 Decked Out 36 Trendspotting in Philadelphia 38 Rocky In Philadelphia 42 Our Favorite Blogger
root 45 James Rosego 50 Austin 54 Flower Markets around the Worldflavor 62 Indulgences 64 A Year of Growing My Christmas Dinner
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130
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 20124
90
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good 67 Hudson Valley Seed Library
mood 68 Bollywood
plant 70 Chaenomeles x speciosa
flower 72 Bring Spring Inside
build 76 Chain Reaction
fun 82 Night Sky
features 90 Awakenings 98 Thinking Veddw 110 The Bark Garden 118 La Oriental 130 An Artist’s Garden in Los Angeles
pick 140 Landscape Architects Pick their Favorites
In EvEry IssuE
On the cOver
Cover no. 1 A contemporary garden featured in Build in this issue Photograph by Garden World Images
Cover no. 2 Inside the greenhouse at Veddw. Photograph by Charles Hawes.
In good company.The original Smith & Hawken teak collection. Now exclusively at Target.com.
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 20126
leafCo-Founder & Editor
SuSan [email protected]
s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
Co-Founder & Editor
rOchelle [email protected]
Art Director
Marti [email protected]
Managing Editor
lynn [email protected]
Advisory Board
Diane turnercharleS SennOtt
Jean ann van KrevelenGina aShe
general Advertising [email protected]
Leafmag.com
©Copyright 2012 LEAF MAgAzinE LLC
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 20128
Spring seems to hold our
hopes and dreams for the future. Publishing a mag-azine is an evolu-tionary process,
but unlike the gardens I create as a land-scape designer, I get to revisit, refine, and rethink ideas with each new issue.
The experience I have from years as a designer helps to make Leaf’s view-point more authoritative. I’m not an editor by trade; I don’t view things from that perspective. This spring issue has takeaways for everyone. We take design outside very seriously and understand that it doesn’t have to be out of reach for anyone. We know international ideas and regional identities are mixing with individual interpretations creating a renaissance of new ideas in every area of our lives outside.
As for my hopes and dreams for the future? I have many more than these pages can contain, but for now, I hope that you like what you see in Leaf, share it with everyone you know, and let us know too!
A new project has an in-
evitable mystery about where it will ultimately lead. Nothing could be truer of this ad-venture called Leaf magazine. When we set out late last spring (I can’t believe that it has been just about a year already since this idea grew legs and started running), we worked hard to spread the word and find readers. We hoped that once you found us you would appreci-ate the vision that we put forward, but neither of us expected that (at the time of writing this) 80,000 of you would have read this magazine to date!
We have been astounded by the rapid growth in readership and we are excited to share this latest edition as well look to continue to live out this journey. This spring we have travelled all around the world to bring you inspiration and ideas. As new things sprout and grow all around us, we appreciate the growth that you have encouraged in us and we hope you enjoy this issue.
SuSan Cohan RoChelle GReayeR
lettersFrom the Editors
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201210
contributorsalison abbott is a design consultant and lifestyle blogger for Green With Renvy. Her collection of home
accessories is sourced from markets around the world, and includes an-tique textiles and trims, floral design, and all things artisan.
Gretchen aubuchon is the founder and editor-in-chief of Fashion + Décor which takes styles from
the latest fashion runways and pairs them with a match in home decor. To-gether, fashion and home decor inspire readers to “Style your Home … Style Yourself.” Her site helps readers bring their personal style out of the closet and into every single room of the home.
Warren bobroW is the food and drink editor of the 501c3 non-profit Wild Table on Wild River Review.
He was an Iron Mixology judge at the 2012 Charleston Wine and Food Fes-tival, attended Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans in 2011, and will be covering the $1000-dollar mint ju-lep contest for Vodka Magazine at the Kentucky Derby this year.
Jim charlier is president of Garden Walk Buffalo (the largest garden tour in Ameri-ca), and co-founder of
the National Garden Festival in west-ern New York. He is considered one of the country’s leading garden tourism experts.
rachel De tham-ple is a London-based food writer and author of the recently acclaimed cookbook, Less Meat
More Veg that Mark Bittman hails as “the cookbook for our time”. She is the resident cook for the organic fruit & box delivery company, Abel & Cole.
Ken Druse is a cel-ebrated lecturer and award-winning pho-tographer and author. He is best known for
his books (which The New York Times called “bibles for serious gardeners”). His newest book is Natural Compan-ions: The Garden Lover’s Guide to Plant Combinations. Ken was awarded The Garden Club of America medal for lifetime literary achievement in 2004, and can be heard through his podcast and public radio show, Ken Druse REAL DIRT.
Pho
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For almost 80 years, Walpole has met homeowners’
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While styles may change,our quality endures.
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201212
contributorsanDrea Fox is rarely without her gardening boots, water-ing can, and camera. A designer, blogger, and
maker of things for the home and gar-den, Andrea knows that putting down strong roots in the form of a garden is a sure way to find community. She blogs at grow where you’re planted.
Delphine Gitterman is a France-based garden design enthusiast. An art director and graphic
designer by day, her blog, Paradis Ex-press, shares her love of travel, garden designers, and nature.
charles haWes has been photographing gardens professionally since 1999. A member of the Garden Media
Guild, he photographs gardens and nurseries for magazines and newspa-pers in the U.K. and mainland Europe. His book, Discovering Welsh Gardens, by Stephen Anderton, was published in 2009.
Geneve hoFFman documents people dur-ing some of the happiest moments of their lives. She believes life is a
work of art, and jumps through hoops to preserve those moments for her cli-ents. She invites folks to swing by her Maine studio, where she may show you a photo of her four-year-old (she has a few, you know, lying around).
Julie Jacobson bakes as Julie Bakes! for restaurants and private clients in New Jersey. A graduate of Juilliard,
she found her bliss as a baker. Julie lives in New Jersey with her husband and three cats, and develops recipes in a kitchen that overlooks woods that were once Washington’s winter encampment.
Katrina KieFFer-Wells heads the bespoke gar-den design company, Earth Designs, in Lon-
don, England. They specialize in clas-sic, funky, and urban contemporary garden design.
Looking for a stunning way to accessorize your garden this spring? Our vibrant, vigorous Bermuda Skies combination, featuring Superbells®
Yellow Chiffon, Supertunia® Bermuda Beach, and Laguna™ Sky Blue, steals the show. And our FREE 32-pageGardener’s Idea Book provides added inspiration so you can create a seasonal look that you love. Order yours today by visiting www.provenwinners.com/lilac or by calling 1-877-865-5818.
Look for Proven Winners in our distinctivecontainers at independent garden centersacross the country and The Home Depot.
FREE Gardener’s Idea Book
The Latest in Spring Fashion from Proven Winners®
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201214
contributorssarah Kinbar is a floral designer, writer, and the former editor-in-chief of Garden Design maga-
zine. She lives on Lake Hiawassee in Orlando with her partner Todd and their four children. Her new blog is called Inside the Flower Studio.
shelley myers is an architect whose passion is helping peo-ple find the best solu-tion for their home. She
is the proud mom of two boys, enjoys good food and wine, and has an insa-tiable desire to travel. She is engaged to her soul mate and finds joys in all aspects of life.
clive nichols has won many awards as a garden and flower photographer, including “Garden Photographer
of the Year” by the Garden Writ-ers Guild. His work has appeared in numerous magazines and books. He lectures and runs workshops for the Royal Horticultural Society, and has appeared on British and Japanese tele-vision.
roanne robbins is garden and floral de-signer, mother of a pre-cocious toddler, amateur baker, and moss collec-
tor. She loves running from one project to the next, racking up highway miles looking for new plants, but always has time to pick branches and flowers along the way. She is the co-author of Continuous Container Gardens.
anne Wareham is a garden writer and editor of thinkinGar-dens. She has been cam-paigning for the past
ten years for a renaissance in British gardens. In January 2012, the Telegraph listed her as one of the most influential British gardeners. Her book, The Bad Tempered Gardener, was published in May 2011.
Jane Kelly yanDell is an Aus-tralian artist and de-signer, home renovator, gardener, and mother to
three lovely children. They, along with two small bunnies and seven chickens, live in Victoria, Australia.
shade experience : made in miami
www.tuuci.com
design . innovation . durabilitym a r i n e g r a d e s h a d e e q u i p m e n t
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201216
shopGarden Benches
Provence Bench by Summer Classics
Log BenchFaux Bois by George Sacaris Studio
Love Seatby Garden House Décor
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 17
Ladderback Three Seater Bench byMcKinnon and Harris
Lucky Beam Bench byKatch Design Company
Applaro Benchby Ikea
Benches are a must for any garden whether a small courtyard or an expansive country landscape…they offer a place to sit, to read, to linger.
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201218
shop
Fashion-inspired design outside? Runways to outdoor décor? Can fashion from the runways offer inspiration for design outside? I believe it can. Just as runways offer inspiration for home décor, fashion runways inspire design outside. Style your home. Style yourself. Home styling belongs indoors and out!
Style Your Garden,
GreiGe DesiGn anD Costume national, sprinG 2012“Pink roses are always good in my stylebook. Pink, beige, and white on the runway and outside create a calming, pretty-in-pink style that I just adore.”
by Gretchen Aubuchon
Style Yourself
Fashion images Courtesy of imaxtree
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 19
Runway fashions inspire design outside
mary mCDonalD anD osCar De la renta, sprinG 2012Every one of Oscar de la Renta’s runway creations are simply stunning—so stunning that they need to be in an outdoor living space as well, and Mary McDonald can do just that. Featur-ing blues and whites, and Asian accents, this Mary McDonald outside design is ev-erything Oscar would dream of.
ruthie sommers anD osCar De la renta, sprinG 2012Look at the black top of Oscar de la Renta’s gown, and then at the windows of this house. See the green everywhere on the gown and on the house. Observe the sparkly bright shoes next to the spar-kle from a single light on the house. This StylePair is fashion and outdoor design at its finest.
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LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201220
Badgley Mishka Spring 2012 RTW with Rosa Easy Elegance ‘High Voltage’
Diane von Furstenberg Spring RTW with Rosa ‘MEIhelvet’ - Sonia rose
What must-have trends will fill our closets this spring? My guess is florals. Lots and lots of florals—on our dresses, skirts, pants, and shirts. Florals are going to be everywhere this spring; I promise you that. From Giambattista Valli to Diane
von Furstenburg and J. Crew, rose-inspired fashions were all over the Spring 2012 ready-
to-wear runways. Here are a few of my favorite looks with the beautiful rose that may have inspired them.
shop
mimi plange spring 2012 rtW with Rosa easy elegance ‘little mischief’
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 21
Nanette Lepore Soring 2012 RTW with Rosa ‘Kiss Me’
Oscar de La Renta Spring 2012 RTW with Rosa bicolor ‘Austrian Copper’
Peter Som, Spring 2012 RTW and Rosa ‘Barbara Streisand’
Giambattista Valli, Spring 2012 RTW with Rosa Easy Elegance® Sunrise Sunset™
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201222
shopAha! Modern Living
Like Leaf, Jayme Jenkins, the proprietor of the on-line shop Aha! Modern
Living, has a broad definition of outdoor style. The store’s number one mission? To help its patrons to discover their inner gardener even if only through a single potted plant. Specializing in garden and garden-related items, Aha! Modern Liv-ing offers contemporary, environmentally respon-sible, and affordable items with high style that are appealing well be-yond the time we take off our muddy boots and sit down to relax inside or out. SC
Susan, cofounder/editor, Hemingway Muddlers
Rochelle, cofounder/editor, Bodega Birdhouses
Everyone loved these Modern Solar Lanterns
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201224
foundMore than a Lesson in art historyBy Rochelle gReayeR
Seed Catalogs
What do you do with your seed and trade cata-
logs after the season? Recycle them? Cut them up for the im-ages? Pass them on to the kids for art projects? I have done all of the above, but I have never considered saving them as part of a historical record. Old trade and seed catalogs are increasingly being used for a variety of research—from the study of graphic design and art styles, to the emergence and decline of industry trends, crop production, seed strains, and gardening and agri-cultural methods.
The Smithsonian Institution Librar-ies have a collection of approximately 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830 to the present. Other catalog collections are available at Harvard University’s Baker Library and the New York Botanical Society, and
Vintage seed catalogs from the national collection
at the Smithsonian
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 25
there are many privately held collec-tions as well.
Ken Greene of the Hudson Valley Seed Library holds one such private collection, and he has used it to gather a greater understanding of our modern food production system. “Studying the catalogs, it is obvious that at one time [pre-1930], regional crop production varied widely, and the variation in our food supply was much wider than it is today,” says Ken. There was great diversity in crop production, and every state sup-ported local seed suppliers who thrived by offering distinctive and regionally appro-priate varieties. Early catalogs were beauti-fully illustrated documents that celebrated plants and produce for their unique quali-
ties and tied artistic practices closely to the art of gardening.
The involvement of government in our seed supply began during World War II, when food rationing and pro-duction were extremely important. It was at this time that hybrids where first introduced and, over time, industrial agriculture reduced the variation in our crop production dramatically. Where there were once dozens of seed suppli-ers in each growing region of the country, today we barely have a dozen in the entire country. Many now sell the same varieties from the same sources. With the prolifera-tion of the Victory Garden movement and the need for food to support the war effort and the population at home, the catalogs of World War II morphed from beautiful and
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201226
scientifically detailed documents featuring cultivar descriptions, to the more production-focused pho-tographic versions of the later 20th century.
With the Internet and ease of online shopping, fewer seed cata-logs are being printed today, and globalization is spreading faster than ever. The up side is that we are using less paper. And through the magic of search engines, we can find a wealth of growing information on-line, as well as connect with nearby gardeners through social media. The small and specialized seed companies that do ex-ist are championing variety and heir-loom seeds and are easier to find and support.
Consumers will continue to drive the conversation about food sources, and individual choices will continue to expand the market for diversity and a safe and sustainable food supply. We may not be able to save the tradition of seed catalog documentation complete-ly, but by supporting heirloom seed libraries, specialized seed companies, and local seed libraries, we can help to maintain diversity in the system.
● ResouRces
Seed libraries (check out seeds, use them to grow plants, and return har-vested seeds at the end of the season for next year’s growing) are sprouting up all over the country. Heirloom and sustainable seed suppliers The Hudson Valley Seed Library Seed Savers Exchange Sustainable Seed Company Ferry Morse Pepper Joe Tomato Fest
found
Note: If you have old seed catalogs, don’t throw them away! Call the Sustainable Seed Company, your local library, or any of the collectors mentioned in this article.
You’re Not Just Buying A Plant.You’re Buying A Bonnie Plant.
Bonnie Plants. So You’ll Know How To Grow.
It’s different. Because this plant comes to you from generations of Bonnie
people who are passionate about sharing their love of gardening with
you. From choosing plants, to gaining the confidence to get out there
and garden, to making great recipes, the Bonnie family can help you
know how to grow healthy vegetables and herbs — your way. Look for
this Bonnie plant. It’s all you need to succeed!
m.bonnieplants.comwww.bonnieplants.com SCAN
28 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
foundHandmade Garden Projects
Reuse a kettle grill base
Small gabions topped with bluestone
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 29
Handmade Garden Projects by de-signer and author
Lorene Edwards Forkner celebrates do-it-yourself projects in a way that surprisingly hasn’t been seen before. The self-proclaimed high priestess of Urban Hillbilly Chic, Lorene has a way of using materials and objects in a way that transcends mere repurposing.
Leaf editors visited her garden last summer, just after she finished the book. We decided to ask her some questions to try and get to the bottom of her eclectic style.
Leaf Your per-sonal garden is full of so many divergent ideas, all centered on reinvent-ing existing materials. Did you always have an affinity for found objects and reinventing them? Lorene Almost all of the projects in my book were created and shot here at home; the resulting “Projectland” was really a bit over the top. It’s a constant process and never “done”. But I assure you, found objects and resourceful reinvention will play a leading role.
Leaf You coined the term Urban Hillbilly Chic to de-scribe your style, but it’s really
more than that. You have a keen eye for well-edited and de-
ceptively sophisticated design. What are your design influences beyond a love of vintage?Lorene I’m especially drawn to hardworking and durable agricultural materials: feed troughs, wire fencing, rusty bits of old machinery, and indus-trial scrap. I just can’t get enough of weathered galvanized metal; it just gets better with time, assuming a luminous, silvery patina. Maybe it’s because this
Kettle drum terrarium
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201230
material seems so at home under Se-attle’s, uh, silver skies. I’m a real water/shoreline person; to my thinking, the softly reflective surface of galvanized metal is very evocative of the sea, but at the same time has a very non-senti-mental, gritty, urban vibe.
Leaf For the past 100 years, there have been artists who take objects and use them to make art—Joseph Cor-nell, Marcel Duchamp, and even Julian Schnabel. Do you consider yourself an artist?Lorene That’s so funny you should mention art. My background is fine
art. I love layered en-vironments. Cornell’s assemblage work was/is brilliant. It’s story-telling isn’t it? And I love stories. If being an artist means seeing the world beyond the ob-vious then yes, I would
say I’m an artist. A storytelling, object-accumulating, space-manipulating craftsperson might be more accurate, if somewhat wordy.
Leaf What would you suggest to someone who wanted to make a trash-to-treasure project of his or her own? Lorene Clean your basement, or your closet, or the junk drawer. Use what’s at hand. Most of us already have raw materials for clever garden struc-tures or embellishments. And don’t forget to have fun. Build a garden for yourself. Photographs courtesy Timber Press
LED touch lights under mason jar lids!
Projects pictured here are described step-by-step in Edwards’s new book
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201232
What materials are right for you?
by Shelley MyerS
foundDecked Out
selves dealing with several additional considerations—high cost/high main-tenance, high cost/low maintenance, low cost/low maintenance, low cost/high maintenance, and more! So where to begin? What are the options, and what are the factors to evaluate?
Painted Fir Historically, this is the material of choice for millions of homes all over the United States. While this is often a great choice, there are several con-siderations. For one, painted fir is best used for covered porches; painted wood will deteriorate faster if not pro-
W hat deck material or finish is right for you? What is right for your
project? How do you figure out what to do? This guide will help.
There are four basic options for deck-ing material—painted fir, hardwood, synthetic material, or treated wood. Within those four options is a second round of decision-influencing op-tions—finish, texture, color, and cost. One might think the latter (cost) would drive the decision, but often costs can be deceiving. For example, some have a higher initial cost, but are much lower maintenance. As a result, we find our-
Photograph by David Yama; deck design by David Yama and Robert Shepherd
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 33
beautiful deep brown. While many clients love its sophisticated look, they also need to know that IPE will need to be re-sealed once a year in order to sustain that look. If not maintained, it will start to change color, which can de-formalize the appearance of the space. IPE is incredibly weather re-sistant, and can be installed in large, uncovered areas. It rarely splinters, and there are many different installa-tion methods available depending on the application. ● ProS Long-lasting; sophisticated appearance; elegant installation; rich mahogany color when first finished. ● ConS High cost; high maintenance responsibility and cost possible.
Synthetic Decking Synthetic decking technology has come a long way. While UV-resistance and fading were an issue when synthetic decking first appeared on the market, this problem has largely disappeared. Still, it pays to do product research and make sure the options you are consider-ing have addressed this original flaw. Of all the options, synthetic decking is by far the most debated in the design and construction industry. The biggest con-cern is the plastic feel and, quite frankly, the fact that it is “fake” wood. There is no doubt that there are applications where this is the best option—docks, decks adjacent to large bodies of water, or in coastal areas where humidity is a factor. So does synthetic decking make
tected from the weather. In addition, the mate-rial available today is younger and less dense than the material avail-able 60 to100 years ago. As a result, fir decking today does not have the longevity of decks in-stalled decades ago. That being said, technology has come a long way in developing deck paints and stains that help keep a painted fir porch look-ing great for years. ● ProS Great option for historic homes or home-owners trying to create an “old time” feel; a great way to introduce color to your exterior struc-
ture; moderately expensive. ● ConS Will need to be repainted every 5 to 8 years depending on use; requires an experienced painter to achieve a successful finish.
Hardwoods Some hardwoods are more readily accessible than others depending on your geographic region. Common options are IPE, teak, redwood, cedar, and walnut. IPE—a Brazilian hard-wood—is the newest member of the group. IPE—like teak—will weather to a silvery grey if not maintained. When first installed and sealed, IPE is a rich,
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201234
sense for your porch? It is a very personal decision. If the application is con-temporary, this can be a fantastic option; synthet-ics without a wood grain can make a very stream-lined, high-style impact with an array of thought-provoking colors. If you prefer a more traditional application, there are convincing wood grains with colors that mimic a hard-wood deck with no mainte-nance requirements. ● ProS True color; no maintenance; the most weather-resistance option on the market; recycled con-tent available. ● ConS Material does not appeal to everyone.
Treated Wood Treated wood has long been the go-to choice for a standard deck. There are a lot of great ways to transform this common material into a fantastic design option that may quite possibly be the best option considering aesthetic, cost, and maintenance. New lines of exterior stains have transformed the standard 10 “wood colors” into an array of exciting hues—from sophisticated greys, to
playful teals, pinks, and purples. Each color is also available in grades of saturation—from translucent to opaque. These stains have revitalized treated
lumber as an option that can be both weather-resistant and a
beautiful extension of one’s home and personality. ● ProS Low cost; du-rable long-lasting wood; fantastic color options
with low maintenance when stain is used. ● ConS Not as long-lasting as hardwoods or synthet-ics; reputation for being common. note: By treated
wood, we are referring to ACQ-wood that features a water-based preservative.
What’s Right for You?
So where do you land in this decking dilemma?
Weigh the options. First, determine what is the main factor driving your decision: is it cost, design
aesthetic, or maintenance responsibilities? Prioritize these three key factors, and then rate each category. You will be able to find an instal-lation that works for your
home, the way you live, and your budget.
Garapa
Composite
Washington Tiles
Stained Pressure
Treated Wood
Tigerwood
IPe Brazilian
Hardwood
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201236
TrendspoTTing in philadelphiaThe oldest flower show is still inspiring
Since 1829, the Philadelphia International Flower Show has been inspiring profes-
sional and amateur floral and gar-den designers. Each year trends emerge, and the 2012 show was no exception. This show is differ-ent from many others in that it is a flower show rather than a garden show. Largely tropical due to its Ha-waiian theme, this year’s trend jux-taposed textures of both plants and materials in unusual ways. Many of these ideas can be interpreted in an outdoor garden.
found
28LEAF MAGAZINE design outside
Gun metal grey Bird of Paradise, Baby
Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) and
Protea blossoms make a striking textural display.
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201238
foundrocky in philadelphiaLandscape designer Michael Petrie built a rock garden for the 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show
Landscape designer, Michael Pet-rie of Handmade Gardens, has been creating large scale show
gardens for The Philadelphia Inter-national Flower Show since 1980. Its show garden are thematic and theatri-cal set pieces of dramatic lighting and other elements.
Each March, legions of profession-als and amateurs work to create a rich and varied weeklong event seen by more than 270,000 visitors. The show is just that, a show. It is about theater and entertainment--not about the recreation of reality. Naysayers don’t see the garden value of these indoor, temporary creations full of tricks and artifice. They dismiss them as unreal-istic. When describing their entertain-ment aspect, Petrie says attitudes are changing and that the show itself has embraced its own theatricality. “It’s a show”, he says.
Petrie’s flower show display gardens are experimental. He thrives on the challenge as well as the opportunity
to explore his own creativity. He thor-oughly embraces these installations and his goal is to create an emotional response that inspires people to action. The gardens allow him creative latitude that he doesn’t always have when de-signing gardens for clients.
The 2012 theme was “Hawaii: Is-lands of Aloha” and Petrie created a
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 39
garden for the lav-ish central feature. His vast experience was challenged by the task. Asked by the show’s direc-tor to interpret the “Garden of the Gods” on the island of Lanai, Petrie had to dig deep to figure out how to make a garden inspired by Lanai. No lush trop-ical landscape, the
actual Lanaian landscape looks more like Mars than Hawaii.
“Garden of the Gods” in Petrie’s interpretation was a rockery that had its roots in the island’s strange land-scape, as well as rock follies created by the Victorians. It challenged visitors to think about what a garden is and can be. Before the show, Petrie explained,
“Lanai is high dry desert. There’s no plant material to speak of so we’re going to make a rock garden of pumice stone. There are stacked stone col-umns, skewered really, and plants will be under-stated with succulents and conifers in jewel-like vignettes. We can’t re-ally make it feel like Ha-waii—we don’t have the sky, air, wind, and water
that help give the islands their charac-ter, so the focus of the garden is going to be very close to the ground.”
When asked about his own experi-ence creating show gardens, Petrie was thoughtful. “Winter is almost over, spring is coming. I’m trying to please myself. If I don’t do something that makes me feel good, hen I’m not in the flower show. I want to be inspired by what I do and I want to inspire other people.” SC
PLan for next year! The 2013 Philadelphia International Flower Show will run from March 3 - March 10, 2013. To avoid the crowds, attend early- or mid-week at dinner-time.
Hungry? Eat at the Reading Termi-nal Market across from the conven-tion center. Be sure to get your hand stamped before you leave if you want to return to the show.
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201240
Highlights from Petrie’s Past Philly Shows found
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201242
I’m French. I’m an art director and I live with a French
garden designer and photographer named Lucien. I have an 18-year-old son, 2 cats, and a 35-year-old parrot named Raton. She is a fe-male and she hates women.
My German grandfather was mad about greenery but at home, plants were forbidden by his wife because of the dirt so he had a secret garden far away from his home. He often had ger-minated seeds in his pockets. My fami-ly had a huge house, full tropical plants which was like a jungle for me when I was a kid. In the living room, my father
had 12 parrots, flying free between the Alocasias.
I live in a very old house, a ruin, but with a gorgeous garden. Our neigh-bours would like us to finish restoring the house before creating the garden. But we don’t. We prefer to invest our money in greenery.
I collect garden designers! Some people want to be photographed with Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt. I don’t.
I would do extravagant things for a photo with Topher Delaney or Piet Ou-dolf and I’m most proud of a picture with Patrick Blanc (with green hair), creator of the first vertical gardens.
Garden desiGn advice?We must all continue to stay mobi-lized for the planet and its future. Pro-mote the practices of environmentally friendly gardening in NYC, in Paris, in Mexico, or in Moscow, everywhere in the world.
“Un jardin beau, oui, mais un jardin bio” is a French expression that could be compared to “organic is orgasmic.”
Mary Oros is a San Francisco Bay Area sculptor who makes contemporary concrete planters in addition to sculp-tures. Her “bump planter” is shown plumbed as a fountain, although it could just as eas-ily be planted. All of Oros’s containers are signed and handmade from a propri-etary eco-friendly concrete mix that is both lightweight and weather-resistant. They are finished with a colorfast treatment and sealed for out-door enjoyment.
planters
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LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 45
root
J ames Rose was a mid-centu-ry landscape architect who, along with his contemporaries
Garrett Eckbo and Dan Kiley, was a pioneer of modernism in landscape design. In 1937 he was expelled from Harvard for refusing to replicate what he considered to be antiquated Beaux Arts ideals in his design work. This rebellion—along with time spent in Japan—ultimately led to a series of de-
James Rose (1913-1991)
Photographs courtesy James Rose Center for Landscape Architecture and Design
By susan cohan
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201246
sign experiments, articles, and books that formed the foundation of Rose’s design philosophy.
Rose believed that a seamless tran-sition from indoors to outdoors was contemporary and fundamental to the way people lived. He was not content to allow landscape design to be a pastoral element that framed architecture. Starting with a struc-tural framework that was sometimes itself architectural, he created views and transitions that integrated useful living and garden spaces. In essence, he created what we now call outdoor rooms. Rose’s outdoor spaces—unlike some today—are as much a part of the architecture as they are the land they occupy; they are not separate.
His experiences and observations while stationed in Japan during WWII greatly influenced his pared-down aesthetic. Rose’s desire to put his ideas into action led him to aban-don a successful New York office to form a design/build practice that focused on private residential proj-ects rather than corporate and public spaces. During his career, Rose built the majority of his landscapes near
The central courtyard at Rose’s Ridgewood, New Jersey home
“Its neither landscape nor architecture, but both; neither indoors, nor outdoors, but both.”
Photographs top and bottom left by Phillip Merrit; bottom center and right by S. Cohan
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Us vel exceaqui recae nam, que id ulloribus aut vere cus.Mendae nupta siminum ipic te plabora dolorer
his home in Ridgewood, New Jersey, although there are also examples of his work in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, and New York. He used his personal residence in Ridge-wood as a design lab, and many of his ideas are evident in the way materials are explored there. He described it as “neither landscape nor architecture, but both; neither indoors, nor out-doors, but both.”
One of the earliest landscape ar-chitects to embrace sustainable prac-tices, James Rose abhorred waste. He championed the use of simple and
indigenous materials, using them in unexpected ways. Rose’s process was often improvisational. He incorporated objects found on site along with natu-ral elements such as rock outcroppings and boulders. An old door destined for the trash could find new life as a gar-den bench and a discarded barbeque could become a fountain.
In Ridgewood, the synthesis of Rose’s design ideals are apparent—as is his spontaneity. Today, Rose’s home is open to the public as the James Rose Center for Landscape Architecture and Design.
Trees in the upstairs hallway blur the lines between inside and out
Photographs by Phillip Merritt
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201250
What to see in Austin
1) Sol’stice Gardens Nursery and garden center for people looking to add an artistic flair to their outdoor space. A delightful collection of plants, sculpture, and furniture. Lo-cated in Dripping Springs, 30 minutes drive west of Austin.
2) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The LBJWC is a premier educational resource, outdoor classroom, and research institution for native plants and sustainable landscape practices. A gem of a public garden consisting of 279 acres of gardens, meadows, wood-lands, hiking trails, and research plots, all highlighting 650 species of native Texas plants.
3) Zilker Botanical Garden Austin is a stop on the butterfly migra-tion byway. Zilker is a perfect place to see the travelling butterflies as well as over 30 garden rooms and mini-gardens.
4) Umlauf Sculpture Garden Art framed by na-ture. View the work of 20th century American sculp-tor Charles Umlauf and other contem-porary sculptors.
5) Sledd Nursery Since 1978 Sledd has been serving its urban neighborhood with garden goods from a converted gas station.
6) Pitchforks & TablespoonsA small garden, related shop next door to the East Side Café, which serves excellent food straight from their own garden.
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By AndreA Fox
Map Illustration by Swiss Cottage Design
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 51
7) Old Empire ImportsFurniture—primarily from India—for indoors and covered outdoor spaces. Incorporating a piece or two from OEI will add an instant patina to your out-door living space.
7
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201252
Not ShowN oN the Map but worth a ViSit:Barton Springs NurseryBarton Springs Nurs-ery specializes in native plants adapted to the ex-treme growing conditions of Central Texas. Shaded by sprawling oak trees, many of their plants are propagated on site.
The Natural GardenerA popular organic-focused garden center with several demonstra-tion gardens, educational events, vegetables, herbs,
annuals, peren-nials, vines, shrubs, trees, houseplants, pottery, and gifts. Uncommon ObjectsIf you’re looking for a treasure, you’re bound to find several here. An-tiques for indoor and out are arranged by color, subject, and theme into small rooms, filling the entire retail space with objects to covet. Music of the SpheresChimes in a variety of musical scales so you can choose the one that sings most sweetly to you.
eatS tacodeliIn a town that is full of tacos and fantastic food trucks, these are widely regarded as the best.
KolachesGrown out of a strong Czech community in Aus-tin, Kolaches are fresh- made sausage rolls with a variety of local twists.
UchiJapanese farmhouse din-ing & sushi restaurant.
goAustin
Farmers markets in austin.Austin Farmers Markets Downtown, Sunset Valley, The Triangle, East
Barton Creek Farmers Market
Sunshine Community Gardens
Barton Springs
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54 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
Flower Markets
Amsterdam, NetherlandsBloemenmarkt
T he French phrase for window shopping, “faire du leche-vitrines”, which
translates to “licking the win-dows”, suits walking around and peering into the flower stalls that make up the flower market. Plants, flowers, planters, and of course, the ubiquitous bulbs—as big as footballs or as small as your pinky fingernail—are avail-able in singles, bags, boxes, baskets, cans, and wooden shoes.
I was in tickled awe of the tulips, orange and lemon trees, Birds of Paradise, Sensitive plants, peppers, strawberries, cucumbers, daisies, fennel, and even Venus flytraps, all available in cans.
It is a floating floral farmers market (the stalls are perma-nently-anchored barges) and across the way are bars, res-taurants, gift shops and, most significantly, basement cheese shops (with delectable, luxuri-ous, local cheeses), making a trip all the more worthwhile.
go
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Sydney, AustraliaSydney Flower market
T he Flower Market has been a part of Sydney’s market tradition since the First Fleet in 1788. The market has moved a number of times to
accommodate the growing metropolis. The new locale is a half-hour train trip out of the city, and although it offers an impressive range of flowers and greenery, it is sadly lacking the cosmopolitan vibe of its sister market, “Paddy’s.” If you are not after huge quantities of flowers, Paddy’s at The Haymarket near Central Station has more flair and energy. A wide va-riety of flowers are grown on local farms within a few hours of the Sydney Markets and fresh cut flowers are brought to the markets from these farms daily.
Jane Kelly Yandell
Mumbai, Indiadadar Station market
I ndia tends to assault the senses—every one of them—with ev-
erything it has to offer. It is a country of contrasts and paradoxes, filled with the best and the worst of the world.
Being greeted with a fragrant garland of jasmine—a form of welcome—was just the jolt I needed after the 24 hours of travel to Mumbai.
This country commemorates occasions—especially temple celebrations and weddings—with over-the-top displays of flowers. The Dadar Station Market did not disappoint. The heady fragrance and brilliant colors were intoxicating, but the real fascination were the vendors who were busy constructing garlands worn by brides, grooms, temple gods, and politicians. These handcrafted beauties were meticulously strung together like beads onto thread in the most creative combinations.
Alison Abbott
56 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
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goFlower Markets
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Funchal, Madeiramercado doS lavradoreS
M adeira is called “Island of Flowers” and the whole island is a large garden; the primary
forest called Laurisylva is an ocean of greenery, dripping with moss, water-falls, and tree ferns. The forest has all the shades of indigo, as Agapanthus has invaded and competes for space with huge and generous blue hydran-geas. Tracts of flamboyant and ex-travagant Crocosmias scatter the land-scape. Balconies and terraces are filled
with bamboo-orchids and huge pots of Cymbidiums.
Funchal’s “Mercado dos Lavradores” (the market for workers) is colorful, with its mountains of fruit in the cen-tral courtyard. The flower sellers wear the traditional dress of Madeira—a red dress with a lot of colorful banners and a blue hat. They are located on the outskirts of the courtyard, under the arcades, and at the market entry. They sell huge bouquets of Proteas and exotic flowers—Heliconias, An-thuriums, gingembers, Passifloras, and Strelitzias. You can find potted plants too—ferns, Agapanthus, succulents . . . it goes on and on!
Delphine Gitterman
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Denpasar, Bali PaSar Bandung
B ali means “offer-ing” in Indone-sian and this is
very important on the island. Each family has its own temple where six to eight daily of-ferings are made. This takes about 40% of everyone’s time. The Balinese believe that their many ceremo-nies—with all the flow-ers offered—increase the sacred energy of their island.
Offerings are usually a small basket made with banana or palm leaves that holds gifts of incense, holy wa-ter, and flowers, and sometimes other things depending on the sea-son and the occupation and wealth of the giver. Offerings are everywhere—in the rice fields to ensure a good harvest, in the cars and motorcycles for protection from an accident on the road, under the trees near the temples, and in front of each door.
The Pasar Bedung in Denpasar is not for tourists (like other markets). It is spread over three levels and straddles
the river and it is the place for Indone-sians to buy their offerings. It is very exciting and the place smells of spices and gorgeous flowers. Indian carna-tions, jasmine, ylang ylang, and frangi-pani flowers spread their heady scents everywhere.
Delphine Gitterman
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Paris, Francemarché aux FleurS
S ometimes we live in places with-out paying them the attention they deserve. The flower market
in Paris is one of them. I live within 25 minutes of it, but I had never gone. I assumed it would be denatured by mass tourism and was convinced that no Parisian was buying her flowers there. I was seriously mistaken be-cause it is very authentically Parisian.
Established in 1808 in the heart of
Paris on the Ile de la Cité, this island of greenery is tucked into the Place Louis Lépine, between Notre Dame and the Seine. The market is sheltered by a beautiful metal pavilion and offers a bucolic setting for selling diverse flow-ers, plants, and shrubs at very reason-able prices (well below what I had expected).
Many artists and designers like to dive into this urban Eden in search of inspiration. On Sunday, the picture is completed by a bird market that adds the sounds of happy chirping.
Delphine Gitterman
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London, Englandnew covent garden market
M y husband and I arranged the flowers for our wedding. Our alarms beeped at 3.30 on the
big day. After necking our coffees, we ventured to New Covent Garden Market to be there when it opened at 4 a.m. It was worth it. We had the top pick of a rainbow of flowers—a feast for the eyes and a perfumery for the nose. It’s a stun-ning place, with such a huge variety of flowers—from the exotic and oversized, to the earthy, homegrown English wild and meadow flowers. It’s the largest flower market in Britain, with so many friendly and surprisingly chipper faces, considering their unsociable working hours. We went for a spread of yellow roses (I’m from Texas) mixed with purple (my favourite colour) English wildflow-ers. We were there a half an hour, got a taxi to the church, arranged our flowers, and went back to bed for a while, happy that we saved a bundle of money and feeling proud we sourced and arranged them ourselves.
Rachel deThample
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201262
Do flavor
Indulgences
T hese two recipes are guaranteed to ward off any chill left in the spring air. Leaf asked cocktail whisperer,
Warren Bobrow, to concoct a cocktail with a little caffeine kick. His Panamanian Mon-soon is delicious, and includes links to two ingredients from small purveyors of simple syrups and exotic bitters.
Since it is spring and burning off calories outside is a given, indulge in something decadent! Master baker Julie Jacobson shares her incredibly easy chocolate rasp-berry cheesecake recipe.
Photographs by Susan Cohan
Coffee and Chocolate!
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Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Raspberries Recipe by Julie Jacobson of Julie bakes!
IngredientsCrust1 package Nabisco chocolate wafers¾ stick of melted unsalted butter
Filling1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips1 14 oz can of condensed milk4 8 oz packages of Philadelphia cream cheese at room temperature4 large eggs2 tsp good vanilla extract
ToppingRaspberry jamFresh raspberries
PreparationPreheat oven to 350F. Make the crust first. Spray a 9” springform pan with baking Pam. Line it with a wax paper circle. Spray again. Wrap the entire bottom and outside of the pan with aluminum foil to help prevent leaks later while baking. Grind the choco-late wafers in a food processor or blender. Melt butter and add to the wa-fers. Press the mix into the bottom of the springform pan. Put crust into the freezer while preparing the filling.In mixer bowl beat cream cheese and
condensed milk on low setting until smooth. Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Add melted chocolate and vanilla to the cream cheese mixture, mix on low set-ting until combined. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Remove crust from freezer and pour chocolate cream cheese mixture into pan. Bake 60 minutes or until small cracks at the edge of the cake appear. Cool for 3-4 hours. Remove from springform pan and top with rasp-berry jam and fresh raspberries.
Panamanian Monsoon Recipe by WaRRen bobRoW
Ingredients (for one cocktail)Unflavored black coffee, filtered through a natural filter if available2 shots light or dark rum 1 shot sweet vermouth1 Tbl Royal Rose Cardamom Clove Syrup1 dropper full of The Bitter End Mole Bitters (available through these specialty shops)Grated nutmeg to taste
PreparationWarm mug with hot water. Pour out and fill about ¾ full with black coffee. Add rum, sweet vermouth, Royal Rose syrup, and bitters. Stir. Grate nutmeg to taste over the top if desired.
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201264
M y 2011 New Year’s resolu-tion was to grow my own Christmas dinner. This prob-
ably wouldn’t be difficult if I lived in the country, but I live in London, in a small Victorian flat. And, oh, I have no garden.
I dreamed of the goal shortly after writing my first book, Less Meat More Veg: The eco-friendly way to eat (Kyle Cathie, 2011). In addition to providing recipes with less meat and more veg-etables, the book includes several es-
A Year of Growing My Christmas Dinner by Rachel de Thample
flavor
says that examine the way we source our food. I advocate knowing exactly where our food comes from.
Living through the entire life cycle of a meal seemed like a good way to fol-low through on the advice in my book. I was also curious to see how much food I could create in an urban environment. Most of us live in cities. In the United States, 84% of the population lives in urban areas, yet cities occupy only 10% of the country. In England, 80% of us are crammed into just 20% of the land. Can
Photography by Adela Nistora
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 65
When I started the project, I really didn’t have a clue about gardening. So I signed up for a course at my local allotment. Even though I live outside of the area to get my own allotment plot, I was offered a patch of land on a training plot in exchange for a bit of volunteer time. My four-year-old son created a ketchup garden on the allot-ment’s training patch. Today, we’re still enjoying bottles of ketchup and jars of oven-dried tomatoes.
With the vegetables covered, I start-ed to think about spices. I spent a day with a professional forager and discov-ered so many new and exiting flavours that my head was dizzy with excite-ment. I also utilised my East-facing windows to grow saffron, chilies, gar-lic, and even lemons!
My project had failures of sorts. I didn’t rear my own turkey; I couldn’t find anyone to host a bird. I consid-ered hunting for wild partridge or other game but was not able to do so. Though I found a local source for crayfish, life’s responsibilities got in the way; I just couldn’t fit everything in. Yet, there were so many beautiful mo-ments and meals along the way.
To thank some of the people who shared in my adventure, I hosted a grown and gathered dinner. The meal included sourdough bread made with wheat I helped to harvest. My favourite dish was a salad of raw, crunchy winter vegetables—parsnips, foraged hazel-nuts, a rainbow of winter leaves, and a
people packed into city spaces feed themselves without relying on super-markets?
Here’s how my Christmas dinner story unfolded. After I conjured up the idea, I announced my plan to a group of strangers in a pub. A lovely woman named Kalina immediately offered me her garden.
I followed up, and in her garden I grew parsnips, carrots, leeks, potatoes, peppermint, thyme, and sunflowers for their seeds.
carrots and beets grown in
an urban london community
garden.
Photography by Adela Nistora
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201266
dressing made with wild mustard seeds and lemon thyme.
I cracked open a bottle of spar-kling apple wine that I had brewed. I thought it would taste of vinegar at best, but was it was stunning, and my guests guzzled it down with compli-ments.
Though they were a nightmare to grow (I battled with wildlife and weather), the highlight of my Christ-mas dinner had to be the Brussels sprouts with chestnuts from my local park. We had crispy roasted potatoes with foraged fennel seeds, red cabbage braised in homemade vinegar, baby carrots, and leeks. We cheated on the meat, opting for a rib of native Aber-deen Angus from a farm my family and I toured during the summer.
All in all, the project was a success. In the process, I have created a new community garden, giving me further space to grow ingredients for this year’s Christmas dinner that I hope to share with a few other city dwellers looking to get a little closer to the food they eat.
Rachel de Thample’s book, Less Meat More Veg is currently available internationally through amazon.co.uk.
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 67
good
Hudson Valley seed libraryHow one small farm supports both sustainable agriculture and the arts
Before he was running the farm full-time, Ken Greene was a librarian. He was also a collec-
tor of antique and vintage seed catalogs, so founding the Hudson Valley Seed Library seemed natural. Today, the Seed Library farm produces varieties that are rooted in the history and soils of the Hudson Valley region.
Located in Ulster County, New York, the farm is one of few in the North-eastern United States that specializes in organic heirloom seed varieties that are processed entirely by hand. The
farm’s seed library provides its members with a resource for reasonably priced, regionally adapted seeds. To support the farm and to insure that their seed library is affordable to its members, Ken and his partner, Doug Miller, also sell their seeds in limited edition, curated collections of Art Packs.
How great is it that two farmers raise heirloom and regionally appropriate seed, encourage their library membership to purchase as well as donate seed back to the library, and also support regional art-ists? That’s a win, win, win. SC
28 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
moodBollywood
Along with rich and vibrant color, glamour, romance, and a lot of bling are common in Bolly-wood movies. Assembled in a mood board, these ideas are brought to life outside for high style on a patio, deck, or in the garden.
28LEAF MAGAZINE design outside
28 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
plantChaenomeles x speciosa
Common Name Flowering quince
Plant Family Rosaceae
Native Habitat/Origin Native to China
Seasonal Interest Salmon, pink, or white blooms in April prior to leafing out
Height and Width 6-10’ tall and wide
Soil and Moisture Moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Adaptable to most soil conditions except those high in pH.
Aspect Full sun for best bloom, but will tolerate partial shade
Maintenance Flowers are borne on old wood. Cut back flowered shoots to strong buds or young lower or basal growth. Prune by 1/3 to 1/5 on established plants. Periodic rejuvenation can enhance performance. Can be wall-trained.
Problems and Diseases Susceptible to apple scab (can defoliate by mid-summer); scale, mites, and aphids can be problematic; chlorosis in high pH soils
Hardiness USDA Zones 5-8
Notes Seldom bothered by deer; rabbits may damage. Spiny branches. Notable cultivars include: ‘Apple Blossom’, ‘Red Chief’, and ‘Orange Storm’. More low-growing and spreading quince are Chaenomeles x superba.
Design Uses Vigorous and upright vase-shape form makes this a perfect back of the border plant. Prolific flowering adds interest in early spring and glossy foliage adds texture to the summer border.
Photograph by Susan Cohan
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flowerBring Spring Inside
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 73
E ven though many plants are still asleep underground, now is the time where we long
for spring to be in full effect. We gar-den as we can, marvel at the early, diminutive blooms of snowdrops and Witch hazels, and look for our plant friends to reemerge through last years’ carpet of decaying oak leaves. As a flower grower, I await the spring har-vest—showy yellow Narcissus and can-dy-toned tulips that can be displayed en masse in a simple glass vessel on the table. But for now, I’m not quite ready for buckets of flowers; I just want to put spring itself on display. I want to capture how it looks and smells. I want to slice a chunk of the woodland garden floor and bring it indoors so that I can be surrounded by its alluring language of bright green, pillow-like moss, early blooming woodland helle-bores, unfurling ferns, sprouting bulbs, and flowering branches.
Vessel
Antique galvanized trays and bins are great for planting. The vessel’s aged pa-tina pairs beautifully with fresh green moss and a vibrant spring palette. Be sure that your planter is lined and has adequate drainage.
Greenery With long-lasting blooms, fabulous leathery leaves tinged with silver, and plum-stained stems, Helleborus x ster-nii ‘Boughton Beauty’ is a perennial favorite. Hellebores have gorgeous evergreen foliage and come in myriad colors—from stark white to speckled pink and deep black; they are a must-have for the spring woodland garden.
Branches
Branches adorned with glowing yel-low pom-pom clusters bring structure
by Roanne Robbins
Photographs by Rochelle Greayer
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201274
and movement to the arrangement. In the garden, Cornus mas is a wonder-ful ambassador of spring. As a tree or multi-stemmed shrub, its showcase of early season yellow trumps Hamamelis and Forsythia for the best early yellow bloomer in the woodland garden cat-egory. Cut branches from the garden and force indoors. Place cut branches in water picks and insert into the soil of the arrangement.
Bulbs
Lots of new spring-blooming bulbs are being grown in the commercial marketplace. I used a combination of Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and sweet little
Muscari. A 4” pot usually holds up to 5 bulbs. Break up the roots and plant individual bulbs, or break in half and plant in clumps.
Moss & TreasuresI have a section of my garden dedi-cated to moss that I harvest for garden projects. Moss is transferred in and out of the garden and terrariums, and is utilized in outdoor spring plantings. Whether you harvest your own, or purchase moss from a local florist or garden store, it is worthwhile to have it on hand. Add lichens, fungi, and other natural found objects to complete the composition.
Photograph by Lisa Aciukewicz
Orchids
Quince branches
Moss and mushrooms collected from forest
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DELIVER YOUR MESSAGE TO 100K GARDEN DESIGN ENTHUSIASTS
A new festival of flowers, gardens and gardeningacross London ChelseaFringe.com
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201276
Do build
When a young london couple asked Katrina Kief-fer-Wells of Earth Designs
to create a garden for them, it was im-portant that it be fun, vibrant, and ec-centric. Both wanted a space in which to relax and entertain.
The existing garden was surrounded
Chain Reaction
Limited access is no bar to creativity in this urban London landscapeby katrina kieffer-Wells
on three sides by bare walls and few plants that gave it an uninspiring, schoolyard feel. The clients had eclec-tic tastes and were not afraid of creat-ing bold design statements. The final design had to find a way to shape and change the existing layout to produce something different and interesting.
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 77
The property was situated on a busy main road into central London that prohibited stopping, making access a major issue. Material deliveries and waste removal were difficult and time consuming. The apartment was at the back of the building, in the basement and, had a narrow entrance, three
Before
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201278
doors, a courtyard, and a number of steps following a dogleg turn.
Since the existing Yorkstone paving was well-laid and in good condition, it stayed to satisfy budget and access con-straints. A large green-oak pergola was built to create a simple and cost-effec-tive way to give height, structure, and visual impact to the area. Paving slabs were removed around the boundary walls to create jagged, flush-level plant-ing beds. The paving had been built upon several times on accumulated concrete. The soil below the concrete was solid clay and very hard to dig; and had to be completely excavated to approximately 60 – 70cm (24 to 28 inches), deep enough for the selected plants. The soil had to be amended to allow the new plants to thrive; it was refilled with a mixture of sharp sand, topsoil, and organic soil improver.
The poor access proved problem-atic during construction. Timber for the pergola had to be brought into the garden through a neighboring car park and over the high wall at the back of the space. The heavy, long, solid oak beams required some serious man-power to negotiate them safely. This proved simple compared to the task of removing more than a dozen slabs from around the courtyard edge for beds and postholes.
A unique water feature, based on a traditional fireplace, was constructed at the back of the garden from chunky
Chain curtain from Chain Screens (above). The lighted elk head from Northern Lighting and metal wallpaper above water fountain from Susan Bradley (below).
LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 79
sections of green-oak, with a stainless steel weir mounted on the “mantle”. The water cascades into a cobble-dressed reservoir below. The alcove above features a panel of powder-coated steel “outdoor wallpaper” on a colored acrylic backdrop. Above the mantle is an eye-catching, life-sized polyresin illuminated moose. Juxtaposed with the client’s existing daybed, the finished area feels like a living room.
Judicious use of ornamentation com-With the new design, Kate-Alice and Dom’s existing table and chairs found a new vibrancy and purpose in the outdoor drawing room (above). The daybed with new cushions is a relaxing place to enjoy the water feature and a cocktail (left).
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 201280
pleted the courtyard’s transformation. The unsightly roof of an existing sum-merhouse was covered with artificial turf. Aluminum chain curtains were installed on the cross beams of the new pergola to create a fluid decora-tive wall and sense of privacy. Stainless steel mesh trellis panels were custom-fabricated and attached to oak blocks installed on the wall to help mask the unsightly brickwork. Tall fiberglass planters placed at intervals in the new perimeter planting beds added a large splash of color.
The result is exactly what the home-owners hoped for—a bold and eclectic garden of which they and the designer are proud.
Inexpensive trellises were constructed from wood blocks and square cut panels of wire mesh. The tall white containers are from Flora Select (facing).
“We are thrilled with our extended living space, in particular the newest member of our family – the moose!”
Photographs by Garden World Images
28 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
funExploring the Night Sky
(and the legend of the bears)
28LEAF MAGAZINE design outside
One of the best parts of spring is the ever-increasing opportunity to sit outside. Plannning a stargazing adventure—whether a romantic interlude with a
loved one, or a more chaotic event with kids—can be a fun way to explore without leaving the comfort of your own gar-den. Using outdoor heaters and beautiful blankets for sitting
By Rochelle gReayeR
28 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
nose and front of Ursa Major. Similarly, Ursa Minor is formed from an exten-sion of the stars of the Little Dipper.
With kids in tow, share the story of how these bears came to grace our skies. Ancient Greeks explain that
Zeus, the king of all gods, travelled be-tween the heavens and the earth. One day, while walk-ing in the woods, Zeus came across the beautiful nymph named Callisto. He fell in love with her. No one can say for
sure if Zeus turned Callisto into a bear to protect her from his jealous wife Hera, or if Hera herself, using her god-dess powers, banished Callisto to the animal kingdom out of spite. Either way, Callisto—now a bear—wandered the woods until one day her own son, Arcas, came upon her. Not realizing that the bear was his mother, he nearly killed her. At the last moment Zeus saved his beloved Callisto by turning Arcas into a bear, too. If you find the bears, you will notice that they have abnormally long tails. Legend says that after they were both bears, Zeus wanted to protect them, so he grabbed their tails (stretching them) and flung them up into the sky. Perhaps the most
funand snuggling, and having warm drinks in hand, helps keep the cozy vibe as the sun sets and the stars come out to play.
Begin touring in the Northern Hemi-sphere by finding the Big and Little Dipper. In spring, these two constella-tions sit directly over-head and form a giant teacup and saucepan; the farther north, the brighter they will be. Ursa Major (Latin for Big Bear) and Ursa Minor (Little Bear) sit above and below each other. The stars that form these constella-tions are also part of the Big and Little Dipper. Finding them is easy. The stars of the Big Dipper also form the tail and back of the bears which helps to find the
Find Ursa Major and
Ursa Minor with one of the follow-
ing stargaz-ing mobile
apps:
Star Walk
Google Sky Map
SkySafari
Go Sky Watch
Star Map
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“Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light. I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night. ”
ExcErpt FroM The Old AsTrOnOmer TO his PuPil,
A poEM By SArAh WilliAMS
Styling: Wendy Fredman of luminaphotography: Geneve hoffman and Kelli Wholy
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remarkable thing about this tale is not the love triangle of the gods, but the fact that Native American tribes such as the Micmac and the Iroquois (though in different parts of the world) looked at the same constellations and saw the same animal as did the Greeks—bears.
There are many star stories worth exploring before searching for constel-lations. If you are destined for a sweet night with a lover, look up Leo Major (the great lion), whose early Egyptian and Babylonian stories may have in-spired Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Dog lovers: Seek out the Indian legend of Yudistira and his dog Svana, whose journey resulted in Canis Minor (the Little Dog).
If you don’t live in a place where stars are easily seen, there are alterna-tives for nighttime adventure. Find places where the ambient light is not too bright (e.g., head out of the city to low light areas in the country). If the moon is full, go for a moon hike. Moon hikes are a fun way to enjoy the woods or the landscape from a completely new perspective. It is quite normal to have a little bit of fear of the dark, but under lunar light you will notice entirely different things about the trails, and you may see animals that you would never encounter dur-ing the day. A healthy nervousness about where to step and what might be beyond the flashlight adds excitement to an otherwise normal trip.
check leaflets for a cosmic-politan
cocktail recipe
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Setting the Scene for an evening under the StarS
Green laser pointer pen from Think Geek
Striped Wool Blankets from Coyuchi
The Young Naturalist Kit contains binoculars
and a birding book (for later) from
Eagle Optics
Adirondack Chair from
Oxford Garden
Wooden flashlight from Unica Home (wrap the lighted end with red plastic to help your eyes maintain good night vision)
28 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
Do We Want a Line Here?
Phlox subulata ‘London Grove Blue’
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EvEry yEAr wE Look ForwArd to sprING.
we once again believe that everything is possible and our ideas are new and fresh. spring brings bursts of color, activity, and longer days. this year we believe in pushing our gardens beyond what we think they can be through self-expression and thoughtful design. we are inspired by gardens and landscapes around the world. As we spend more time outside, our powers of observation are keener, and we find joy in often-overlooked details like the elegant graphics of bark or a simple field of yellow mustard. the sun warms our winter-weary souls and we linger outside rather than in. we share our outdoor spaces and experiences with each other. wELcoME to
sprING At leaf
s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
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AwakeningsSIGNS oF thE tIMES
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Us vel exceaqui recae nam, que id ulloribus aut vere cus.Mendae num
cupta siminum ipic te plabora dolorer ovidemp oressi in parum coribusda
BloomMagnolia x soulan-
giana signals that warm weather is on its way.
The saucer magnolia’s blooms are sometimes killed by a late-season
frost so planting a later-blooming variety is often
a wise choice.
Native Eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis) are true harbingers of spring. The small understory tree’s diminutive pink or white buds push out from its branches before the tree leafs out with heart-shaped foliage which can be green, burgundy, or golden, depending on the cultivar.
Photographs previous spread and right: Clive Nichols; Above: Susan Cohan
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Wine isn’t the only big draw in Napa Valley. The region’s early-blooming wild mustard
plants are so spectacular that they have at-tracted a wave of tourists from January to
March. Writer and photographer Alice Joyce, whose websites Alice’s Garden Travel Buzz
and Bay Area Tendrils are mainstays for local gardeners, loves to explore the back roads of
Napa and take in its seasonal shifts.
Daffodils are the most certain of all the symbols of spring. In the fall of 2001, when I got my start as a garden editor, a story came across my desk about The Daf-fodil Project. Millions of bulbs are blooming in New York City’s parks, medians, and vacant plots of land—large and small. They were planted as part of The Daf-fodil Project in 2001 as a lasting tribute and 9/11 memorial.
Grow
Photographs left: Clive Nichols Above: Alice Joyce
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Showers
Just as four decades of rain and muddy conditions have not stopped concert-goers from gathering at the Glastonbury Festival, gardeners do not give up due to weather. The solu-tion for both? Waterproof Wellington boots. Wellies now come in many colors and patterns. Mine are white with a black line-drawing pattern of flowers. They’re cool, but I aspire to Candy Girl Wedge Wellies, which are totally “next level”.
An unnamed Primula at Annie’s Annuals.
At her previous home, (far right) garden
designer Lisette Pleasance had the
perfect opportunity to show off her favorite
look of clipped foliage with a pop of floral color.
Photographs top: The Guardian; Above: Susan Cohan; Right: Clive Nichols
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Showers
Flowers
28 LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
Thinking VeddwAuthor And gArden-mAker Anne WArehAm muses on creAting her Ambitious Welsh gArden And its future cAre
A view through the woodland to the clipped parterre
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Thinking Veddwp h o t o g r A p h y b y c h A r l e s h A W e s
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Icould start by telling the usual garden story—about how we left London for the Welsh bor-
ders to make a garden on two acres of field with a two-hundred-year-old, rather ugly house in the
middle. About how I had discovered mulching
by Anne WArehAm
after deciding that digging two acres was a little too demanding (good old Ruth Stout).
I could go into the endless tri-als and tribulations of doing all of that with practically no money or help, and with a husband who wanted me to finish the first bit before moving on to the next (not recommended—you’ll be fiddling about with a tiny gar-den forever and never realise the grand vision. You have to bite off more than you can chew and then tolerate the mess and complaints for some considerable time, until the plants begin to fill out and the hedge cutting begins … and then never ends).
I could talk about opening the garden to the public and waiting for nobody to come.
Well, I could (or just did) pro-duce the usual British garden story that inevitably finishes with
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An early morning frost
defines the geometry
of Veddw’s hedging
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familiar, well-worn tips about how to keep slugs down or kill the neighbours (no, not that last one really—just see-ing if you are still awake).
But I think the garden-making at Veddw actually be-came interesting when I read about Little Sparta and realised that a garden can be more than decorative and more than somewhere to garden in, which seems to be many people’s ambition. I knew what I wanted and what the garden needed. I began to add words and to try to put people in touch with the history of the site.
From the time I had arrived in this rather curious place—neither English, nor Welsh, and not a village but
“Bit-by-bit I began to know something about the last two-hundred-years in the Veddw”
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a settlement—I had been working at discovering all that I could about its history, in an attempt to make sense of it. I was embarrassed and humiliated repeatedly by discover-ing how little I knew, but bit-by-bit I began to know some-thing about the last two-hundred-years in the Veddw. I’m still working on several previous millennia.
The land—the same that is now ours—was taken over from the Lord of the Manor’s Waste by squatters who man-aged to live off it and some local casual work in the woods, farms, and wireworks. They graduated from a turf and mud cabin into the stone cottage and cow shed where we now live, and they obtained a huge parchment lease from
“Bit-by-bit I began to know something about the last two-hundred-years in the Veddw” The bench at Veddw chronicles its name and spelling over 200 years
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Clipped witch hazels in early spring amid masses of Narcissus in the meadow
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the Duke of Beaufort, granting them tenure. I discovered such leases and a document saying that they were living “chiefly on potatoes and the coarsest kind of bread” and, “exposed to pecu-liar temptations, they have been accused of dishonest practices, and of those acts of petty fraud, which often prevail amidst such a population.”
It was clear that I should ac-knowledge and honour these people and their hard lives on the land where they had strug-gled and no doubt suffered. And so I have added words to the gar-den—on a gate, on seat backs, and on memorial stones. Words that remind us of our predeces-sors.
We have come to realise, too, that we must confront ourselves; we are as temporary as they were. However much this feels like “ours”, we are not here forever. We plan to acknowl-edge our transience, too.
Given that, it has still always seemed essential to me that we make the beauty of the garden our first priority—we live in it, after all. We have attempted to make that beauty by shaping and delineating the garden with hedges, which contain small gardens and a reflecting pool, where both
Left: The reflecting pool in early spring Above: A memorial stone by Catriona Cartright stands in the meadow
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“We make the beauty of the garden our first priority.”
meanings of the word are relevant. We have also—true to the spirit of honouring the history of the land—kept large areas of the original meadow, gardened to keep it as close as possible to the meadow on which our prede-cessors would have kept their cow (we know there was a cow, as the census somewhat idiosyncratically mentions it in 1890: “An agricultural labourer’s widow lives here. She keeps a cow). These areas of grassland now grow fine grasses, wild orchids, and native wildflowers while also offering a peaceful, open break from what would other-wise be a rather too-busy, flowery garden.
I have read a great many stories about making gardens, often with similar challenges and obstacles as our own. I have read much less about people tackling the next, frightening stage. How will we maintain it in our retire-ment and old age? The hedge cutting is already a remorse-less taskmaster, though one that provides enormous year-round delight. Making and maintaining a garden like this demands endless creativity and adaptability; as I hate to leave the place even for a short holiday, I am not likely to leave it to make our lives easier. Sometimes the thought terrifies me, and sometimes—just sometimes—I think we have created a dreadful, devouring monster out there.
The black conservatory wall sets off
simple seasonal plantings in
galvanized pails
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Prunus rufa
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Bark Garden
Planting trees and shrubs for four-season interest
By Ken Druse
PhotograPhy By clive nichols
The
heptacodium miconiodes
Platunus x acerfolia
Betula jacquemontii
Pinus nigra ssp pallasiana
stewartia sinensis
acer griseum
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Many trees grown for bark effects do not show their features until they reach a certain stage of maturity. Kousa dog-woods (Cornus kousa), for example, develop exquisite patchy bark, but only after decades. Patience is often in short supply for garden-ers, so get started by in-cluding at least one tree for its bark effects in your planting plans this spring.
C a m o u f l a g e - l i k e patches of colorful grey, green, brown, and ochre characterize the lace-bark pine (Pinus bun-geana). Lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia ‘Elmer II’) is a wide-spreading tree with a mosaic of color-ful bark. The mottled colors of the bark on the London plane tree and the large American sycamore (Platanus x aceri-folia and P. occidentalis) feel flocked and begin to appear on young trees.
There are many birch species and varieties with colorful bark, hori-zontal dashes, or exfo-liating strips. A medi-um-sized, fast tree that displays its bark traits at an early age is the Jac-quemonti Himalayan birch (Betula utilis var. jaquemontii). The black or river birch has peel-ing grey, doeskin tan, and beige bark.
If you don’t have space for a big tree (or the pa-tience for the payoff), there are small trees that will exhibit bark interest while they are still young. Betula nigra ‘Little King’ (also sold
as ‘Fox Valley’) forms a perfect hemi-sphere of green foliage in summer. When the leaves drop, a ball of twigs and typical River birch bark appears. The pale, shaggy, Seven-son flower tree (Heptacodium miconioides), Three-flowered maple (Acer triflorum), Cor-
Bark may be the last thing one thinks about when choosing a tree. However, bark may be one of the best things to consider when designing, espe-cially for winter and early spring interest. While most of us have seen white birch with contrasting black dashes, other trees often go unnoticed.
acer ‘White tigress’
acer conspicuum ‘Phoenix’
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There are small Trees
ThaT will exhibiT bark
inTeresT while They
are sTill young
eucalyptus spp.
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smaller Trees wiTh moTTled color include varieTies of crapemyrTle
lagerstroemia spp.
pho
tog
rap
h b
y s
usa
n c
ohan
28LEAF MAGAZINE design outside
al-bark maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’), and the moose and snake bark maples have vertical pencil lines run-ning up their trunks, especially evident in youth. Some species and varieties of these maples include A. pensylvanicum, A. davidii, A. tegmentosum, and A. con-spicuum ‘Phoenix.’
Smaller trees with mottled color in-clude varieties of Crapemyrtle (Lager-stroemia) with smooth, cool-to-the-touch skin, and spectacular bark color. Other small trees with mottled bark include Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica), Chinese quince (Pseudocy-donia sinensis), and various Stewartia species.
The California Manzanita (Arcto-staphylos varieties) might have the smoothest bark of all—a thin, oxblood surface that appears to have been bur-nished by years of waxing and buffing. The Japanese cherry (Prunus serrula-ta)—best known for its spring flowers—bears smooth, lacquer-like, chestnut red bark, and it is scored by horizontal dashes called lenticels. Similar marks appear on a wide range of birch trees, and on the cherry look-alike Peking tree lilac (Syringa pekinensis).
There are also shrubs with colorful bark that attract attention before leaf-ing out. Planting a medium-sized, four-season shrub like Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’ with double-white flowers, fall foliage color, and cinnamon-stick ornamental bark is a no-brainer. En-liven the landscape with the colorful bare twigs of some varieties of willows,
aBout Bark...● ARMOR bark is a tree’s first line of defense—its armor. and like our skin, bark is mostly made of dead cells. some trees—like the common juniper—slough off strips of outer tissue every year. others keep add-ing to their bark, building into a thick, hard shell over time.
● WAteRpROOf bark is fairly wa-terproof, and the protective layer should not be breached. a deep scrape will allow disease organisms to enter the live tissue or interrupt the flow of sugars and moisture from the roots to the top of the tree and back again. damage from rutting deer, or a crack from frost or lightening may take years to dis-appear as new tissue grows to heal the gaps.
● SCARRING The smooth grey bark of beech trees seem to be irresist-ible to young men eager to swear their undying love by carving a heart pierced by an arrow on the trees. The declaration will be carried throughout the life of the tree and very likely outlast the relationship.
● pROteCtION young trees may benefit from having their trunks wrapped with paper to shade them from sunlight that can scald imma-ture bark tissue. i’ve used plastic foam pipe insulation (a tube that is split on one side) to slip over the lower stem of fall-planted saplings to protect the trunks. but do not build mulch up the trunk for win-ter (mulch should never touch any plant). a pile of wood chips pro-vides a nice cozy place for rodents to hide as they eat rings around the base of the trunk.
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shrub dogwoods, and a few brambles. The willows, mostly varieties of Salix alba, are cut back nearly to the ground every year to produce tall slender stems in brilliant, fiery shades, depending on variety. An anomaly is Salix irrorata with black stems.
One-year-old twig colors on shrub dogwoods range from acid yellow to flame to ruby-red by species and vari-ety. Some of these deciduous plants—such as the yellow-twig Cornus sericea
‘Silver and Gold’ with variegated green leaves edged in white—have foliage in-terest throughout the growing season. Cut the oldest stems down to two inch-es in late winter.
Ghost bramble (Rubus cockburnia-nus ‘Aureus’) has just about the best and longest-lasting golden leaves that drop in the fall to reveal pinkish-red stems coated in a white, waxy powder. The best Ghost bramble is R. thibetanus with pure silver canes. As if the thorns on the canes were not enough, the coat-ing, called “bloom”, offers additional protection from winter sun and dry-
ing winds. I planted these brambles on the southwest side of a path where they can be safely seen, but grow away from passers-by.
I planted a Paperbark maple (Acer griseum) with exfoliating, translucent amber curls where it is illuminated by the low afternoon rays of winter sun-light. It is a small and slow-growing tree, but it exhibits its fantastic glow-ing bark at a very early age. I can see the tree from the windows of the sun-
room without going outside. In late winter it is joined by several flowering Witch hazels.
Now is the time to consider places to site shrubs and trees that will contrib-ute interest during the winter and early spring before foliage and bloom steal the show. This year, choose at least one to start a bark garden. Remember, trees and shrubs with wonderful bark make beautiful year-round plants. Some have ornamental flowers, all have fresh leaves in spring, and many have spectacular autumn leaf color before the bark takes center stage.
acer conspicuum ‘Phoenix’ulmus parvifolia Prunus pandora
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Betula utilis var. jacquemontii ‘grayswood ghost’
La OrientaL
The swimming pool is also a reflection of the Neo-Moorish architecture designed by Fernando Malenchini and Diego Pondal of La Oriental
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La OrientaLSouth American landscape architect
creates a natural balance for a traditional estancia in Uruguay
B y S u S a n C O h a n
P h O t O g r a P h y B y a m a L i a r O B r e d O
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FA series of terrAces significAntly increAses the outdoor living spAce
or the past four years, Argentinean landscape architect, Amalia Robredo, has been creating a masterful garden in the hills just west of Uruguay’s Atlantic coast. The smaller garden is part of a large working ranch, or “estancia,” that produces olives and wine. It is being restored by a young couple who want a relevant, environmentally conscious, and low maintenance landscape. The ranch’s name, La Oriental, is a nod to both the official name of Uruguay (Oriental Republic of Uruguay) as well as one of the homeowner’s Japanese ancestry.
The main house is situated on a slope and looks
Gardens on different levels
anchor the buildings and
complement the natural landscape
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A series of terrAces significAntly increAses the outdoor living spAce
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out to a mountain vista to the west. When they first bought the more than 1200-acre property, there was no flat usable terrain. The extent of the liv-able outside space was a tiny deck adjacent to the old house. Robredo’s first order of business was to design a series of terraces that created garden areas and significantly increased the outdoor living space. Since beginning the renovations to the property, the driveway has been relocated, the house has been enlarged, the garden areas have been defined, and much more usable space has been built to provide
Three varieTies of salvia were included To aTTracT hummingbirds
Masterful use of materials gives the estancia its
international and eclectic flavor
“the PLantS were ChOSen tO remind yOu OF the native PLantS OF uruguay.”
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Three varieTies of salvia were included To aTTracT hummingbirds“the PLantS were ChOSen tO remind yOu OF the native PLantS OF uruguay.” opportunities for outdoor activities and entertain-ing. To accommodate the need for water in an oth-erwise dry landscape, the homeowners built four small lakes that irrigate the property.
La Oriental’s design has always been anchored in the homeowner’s desire to conserve the sur-rounding native environment as well as its glori-ous mountain view. The estancia’s mountain views are an integral part of the landscape’s visual expe-rience, and Robredo wanted to capitalize on those and honor the native landscape in her design. She
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explains that, much like their North American neighbors, people in Argentina and Uruguay are just beginning to want gardens with local identi-ties. There is a growing concern for the conserva-tion of natural resources and an interest in the res-toration of native landscapes. They are developing a design aesthetic that is uniquely South Ameri-can, rather than looking back through the genera-tions to European traditions for inspiration.
“At the time I designed La Oriental,” she said, “these plants where not yet available, but the plants were chosen to remind you of the native plants around. I have nature and ecology present at the moment I design and I choose plants that will add to the environment I am changing.” According to Robredo, she has only recently been able to source plants native to the region; a mere 20 varieties are now commercially available in local nurseries.
Built into a slope, the home is surrounded by structured and geometric terraces and court-yards that include a rill and fountain, a swimming pool, and large rectangular planting beds that are lush in bloom and that add an air of informal-ity to the otherwise rigid geometry. The white and blue groupings of plants incorporate three varieties of Salvia that were included to attract hummingbirds, and large masses of Chrysan-themum frutescens ‘Chelsea,’ Gaura lindeimerii, and a white Lantana ssp. that is native to the re-gion. These controlled spaces morph slowly into the more naturalistic and less tame areas farther away. Structural boundaries disappear and the plants become the most important feature in the gardens.
The living and working areas of the estancia are close to the residence, but almost 500 acres of outlying woodlands and rockeries were kept intact and provide nesting spaces, food sources,
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The Santolina “meadow” and
local stone create a sense of place
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the reSuLt iS a uniqueLy SOuth ameriCan garden StyLe with eurOPean rOOtS
and shelter for wildlife. The woodland is unusu-al for an estancia of this size. Ranch properties are generally comprised of open prairie used for grazing livestock rather than woodland.
In the larger, non-working part of the land-scape design, native stone and traditionally built walls combine with a sophisticated yet restrained planting scheme that mirrors the colors found in the ever-present view at La Oriental. Sun-parched browns, neutral grays, and warm yellows punctuated with purples, dominate. The planting
Geometric structures are softened with
exuberant plantings
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the reSuLt iS a uniqueLy SOuth ameriCan garden StyLe with eurOPean rOOtS
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the deSign iS anChOred in the deSire tO COnServe the native envirOnment
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combinations create visual stories that are found as single plant masses or multiple, exuberant mixed borders. Even when not in bloom, San-tolina chamaecyparissus and create a frame for wide-open vistas of the western hills. The edge of the terraces close to the house is punctuated with evenly spaced terra cotta planters that signal a change.
The project is ongoing, and there is more work to be completed at La Oriental. With landscape archi-tects and designers like Amalia Robredo working closely to strike a balance between beautiful and usable outdoor living space and the conservation and restoration of natural habitats, it is now pos-sible to achieve a uniquely southern South Ameri-can garden style that embraces its European heri-tage as well as its native landscape.
The working vineyard in the larger landscape adds additional visual interest
the deSign iS anChOred in the deSire tO COnServe the native envirOnment
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Large scale photographs with motivational messages have personal meaning for the artist.
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P h o t o g r a P h y b y k e t t i k u P P e r
an
Ketti Kupper has created a
personal haven of inspiration,
expression, and experimentation
in her own garden
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aa designer’s personal garden often reveals more about their aesthetic than the gardens they design for their clients. A multi-disci-plinary artist and designer, Ketti Kupper’s Los Angeles garden reflects her passion for life, her strong sense of spatial relationships, and her need to experiment with traditional and non-traditional materials. Kupper’s idiosyncratic sense of personal style is uniquely her own.
Kupper moved to Los Angeles from Con-necticut. The stylish and elegant fusion of the landscape vocabulary of both coasts adds per-sonality to her garden. There is a traditional formalism to the overall design but the details of its execution are pure Californian. With a commitment to eco-conscious landscape design, Kupper is interested in the power of
gardens and landscapes to impact and add to our daily lives. In her own space, she
has created an uplifting and surprising experience that begins at the street en-try. The traditional Spanish-style gate with a wrought iron latch has a mes-sage . . . literally. A small plaque in-vites all who enter to Take all the risks
you want. Make no mistake about it, this garden takes risks.Corten steel, wood, concrete, and large-
scale photographic prints combine with
Clean lined geometric
structure is softened
with natural materials and
plants
A small plaque invites
all who enter to “Take all the
risks you want.”
b y S u S a n C o h a n
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natural stone and carefully considered plants in the front courtyard. Another small plaque, this time on the back of a concrete bench, says Patterns, reoccur-rences, and similarities reveal the story. The twin ideas of risk and repetition are carried out through-out the courtyard. Each time a design element is re-peated it seems new, as if a risk has been taken.
Divided by a central path, one side of the gar-den is almost entirely gravel. It creates sound so subtle that the focus is on it rather than the sur-rounding street sounds. A small pond anchors the far end. On the opposite side, large-scale black and
Wisteria is trained on a steel as a
canopy over the twin track driveway
(above). Each element has a
purpose and contributes to the
whole (right).
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white photographs are a surprising feature not typically found outside. They are joy-ous and uplifting, and each has a message with a personal meaning to Kupper. Large areas of negative space and seating allow a visual respite from the garden’s details. Plants are sculptural. There is a predominantly neutral color palette of grey, brown, and tan. Each ele-ment has a purpose and contributes to the whole. The house anchors the courtyard and becomes its fourth wall. Kupper’s design makes the arrival at the front porch secondary; it is the journey to the
The bold use of color is controlled and purposeful via
paint, planters and
plants.
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Plants echo falling water in the planters above the pond
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LEAF MAGAZINE design outside 139
front door that is impor-tant.
A transitional experi-ence occurs when travel-ling through the courtyard to the back yard. Geometry gives way to a more tradi-tional garden space with a Wisteria-covered-pergo-la and a twin track drive whose center is planted with Alyssum. Shades of Kupper’s East Coast roots are more obvious here than anywhere else. A potting bench and a console ta-ble display collected artifacts. A tomato plant is tucked into a sunny spot. The small details that make a garden personal are everywhere. Inte-grated work areas are adjacent the house; this is a gardener’s garden. The focal point is a lime green door at the end of the drive that hints of another, different experience at the end of the drive.
Neutral colors become punctuated with bright citrus green. The bold use of color is controlled and purposeful via paint, planters, and plants. This area is more playful, and the space is less strictly defined than in the front. A series of low, wood platforms create a transition between the driveway and the back garden. Seating, a chime-nea, and another photograph are integrated into the small space. The backyard has an inti-macy to it that the front does not; it is clearly a private space.
There are a multitude of ideas within this small urban lot, yet the hand of a thoughtful and skilled designer is evident in its unity. Ketti Kup-per’s garden proves that intensely personal and ex-perimental ideas can contribute to a fully realized design when there is thought behind the process.
The hand of a thoughtful and skilled designer is evident in the garden’s unity.
Another plaque says “Patterns,
reoccurrences, and similaritites
reveal the story.”
140
pick Two landscape architects’ favorite new products from the ASLA expo
Jason Castillo on the Maui
Chair by Kannoa
“I love the curvaceous form and bold color.”
“Despite the look, it’s extremely comfortable.”
Jason Castillo on the Santorini
Chair by Babmar
“Take any image and apply it to this bench.”
Naomi Sachs on bench by Equiparc
LEAF MAGAZINE spring 2012
COMING SUMMER 2012
Chelsea Confidential
Summer in Santa Barbara
Outdoor Style’s Young Designers
Gin…the Botanical Spirit
s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
Welcome leaf
Spring!
A Closer look At seeds, deCks And BenChes+
Flower MArkets Around the world
Behind the sCenes At philly
