Image 9 of 30 from gallery of Garden State Hotel / Techne Architecture + Interior Design. Photograph by Shannon McGrath

Design articles are always guiding us into the various ways to refresh a room, let's switch it up and do the same for the garden. 1. PRUNE This is one of my clients who called asking for some pruning. On my! I personally love to prune when a major renovation is required, believing anything can be re-shaped and saved. While the crew was busy, I pulled out the shears Yes, there was an entryway and an address. 2. EDGING AND MULCH Can I say mandatory? Looks clean and fresh, represses weeds and retains moisture Look for the best mulch you can afford, preferably black and fine. We use LEAF mulch, decomposed leaves, rich, black and finely ground. When laid, any mulch will begin to decompose. As wood mulch decomposes, that process robs the soil of nutrients. As leaf mulch goes, it feeds the soil, improving it's texture and adding nutrients Unless you reside at a Shell station, this is a big NO! Ugly, and the dyes are toxic 3. Stabilize structures and paint if needed In winter climes, snow and ice takes it's toll on our structures. Examine closely for needed repairs. A fresh coat of paint does wonders! 4. Clean, and/or replace outdoor soft goods What a renaissance for outdoor pillows; the fabrics and the designs. We carry a line whose style matches any interior pillow, some with gorgeous fringe, trim and down inserts! The rug line we carry, Dash and Albert, has a tremendous outdoor collection. New for 2014 is the collaboration with Bunny Williams, above 5. Declutter It can happen.......one day you are bringing home ornamentation, the next you are in a newspaper, misguided, posing and smiling Benches, table, fountain, watering cans.......complimentary to each other and tastefully arranged. Look around, what might be redundant, in disrepair......generally employ a good edit 6. Re access your front door Charming? Massively so if you live in a cottage, in Czechoslovakia. Enter your home as a guest would, is all clean? Decluttered? In good repair and painted or stained? Outdoor lamps sparkling clean? Consider a color change, this focal point for your home can be unassuming or exciting 7. Give up on low performing plants "I hate to kill plants!" I do too. Often as a landscape designer I am both executioner and nurturer. There are times when a plant is simply "taking up space", overgrown and beyond pruning (not too often), a blob, that is it just sits there, offering little No focus, many blob type plants, all green, no stand-outs and yes, a few weeds To live in my garden, the criteria is; must be of appropriate size must be interesting most of the growing season must be a strong performer; long bloom, colorful foliage, multi-seasonal interest I'm ruthless..... This Hydrangea above is the Incrediball, in bloom from early June to frost....nice! 8. Interesting foliage? Take a close look. Have a section where there is too much green? (disregard if all green is your goal, lovely in a formal setting). Too many leaves of the same size and shape? Insert some of the colorful foliage plants and pay close attention to the shape, mixing it up. 9. Consider the addition of Annuals To me, they are the link for a garden. They perform throughout the season weaving in and out of perennials and shrubbery that have their day until next year 10. Reevaluate your containers Are they in good order? Remove old soil, which no longer has any nutrients, and refill. How about their style and size, appropriate? Charming? YES! Appropriately sized? NO, too small That's better. Take note of the terra cotta color, which pulls from the homes bricks....nice! One of our clients. When we designed the gardens, instead of a pair of urns at the front entrance, we placed oversized, statement urns in front of the two front windows. Enjoyed from inside and out, they make a statement as they are planted fresh, four times a year, celebrating each new season. Cheers! Debra

These readers have recently started gardening and are having great success. Check out their lush, Albany garden, here.

Last week had it's series of ups and it's downs. Most of the week was spent reassembling my computer as it had a total crash and was wiped clean. Many terrified days later we seem to be mostly intact......prayers answered. On the plus side I was thrilled to win a gorgeous upholstered bench on a favorite blog, The Enchanted Home, it pays to comment! And for great news this week, my cast comes off, a long 6 weeks! Some sort of walking boot is next, freedom!! Now, if Spring will appear.......... It is the most feminine of seasons, light, airy and bursting with all manner of pastels Crab apples, and well any flowering tree for that matter, can be the foundation for a floral arrangement Tulips are perfectly wonderful from the market, particularly if you have these bad boys! And deer, and sometimes squirrels. On our property I have both bunnies and tulips. How? We do not have a lawn service, hence no chemicals. What is then prevalent is clover, their hands down favorite food......nothing else is touched Sandra Mehl, in the shop, just sent me this image, her latest watercolor. As soon as she gets him framed, this guy will grace our walls, while looking for a good home. Your safer bet is daffodils, never bothered by marauders Or Scilla Scilla, en masse As the birds are furiously building nests, give them a hand.......imagine, all this intricacy, without hands Set out your dryer lint on top of some shrubbery, or nestled in tree limbs. The hatchlings will thank you. The Amy Howard gold leaf will be perfect for this application, cannot wait to try! Spring contributes to such lovely tablescapes Washi tape flags These charming table votives are new to the nest candle line and just arrived. Diminutive in size with a very subtle hint of an herbal scent. Pretty lined down a table. The new season is nearly here when our topiaries begin to arrive. Nothing change an interior like fresh, live greens Cheers! Debra

Synopsis Expand/Collapse Synopsis Lizzie and Karl's mother is a zoo keeper; the family has become attached to an orphaned elephant named Marlene, who will be destroyed as a precautionary measure so she and the other animals don't run wild should the zoo be hit by bombs. The family persuades the zoo director to let Marlene stay in their garden instead. When the city is bombed, the family flees with thousands of others, but how can they walk the same route when they have an elephant in tow, and keep themselves safe? Along the way, they meet Peter, a Canadian navigator who risks his own capture to save the family. As Michael Morpurgo writes in an author's note, An Elephant in the Garden is inspired by historical truths, and by his admiration for elephants, "the noblest and wisest and most sensitive of all creatures." Here is a story that brings together an unlikely group of survivors whose faith in kindness and love proves the best weapon of all.

Die Parkanlagen der Villa Borghese wurden zur Beginn des 17. Jh. für Kardinal Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese, einen Neffen Paul V., auf dem Boden von Weinbergen, die den Borghese gehörten, angelegt. Ende des 18. Jh. wurde die Anlage unter Leitung von Mario und Antonio Asprucci in einen englischen Landschaftsgarten umgestaltet und der damaligen Mode entsprechend mit Imitationen antiker Architektur ausgestattet. Eine weitere Vergrösserung fand zu Beginn1902 statt, so dass sich der Park heute über eine Fläche von ca. 5 km² erstreckt. 1902 wurde das bisher im Privatbesitz befindliche Gelände vom italienischen König Umberto I. erworben und der Stadt Rom geschenkt. Der jonischen Tempel des Äskulap, einer Imitation antiker Architektur, wurde auf einer kleinen Insel in einem künstlichen See errichtet, den man mit Ruderbooten befahren kann.

Is there anything more beautiful that Secret Gardens? Sit back and enjoy the view! : ) Are you going to plant one this year???

Goth gardens are trending. Evoke a goth garden feel in your space with these ideas from HGTV, including stone fountains, ornate wrought-iron details, garden statues and carnivorous plants.

Have you ever heard of lasagna gardening? It is a method of layering bulbs and planting materials to easily get the most yield from the smallest area... [MORE]

Boxwood how much do i love thee….it is endless & forever Box however, is becoming elusive. Here in the Chicagoland area we are experiencing disease, and now shortages. As I began to check stock, knowing of impending shortages, I was alarmed to find my favorites ‘Glencoe’, and ‘Green Velvet’, are unavailable until AUGUST! Having just finished a design yesterday, with massive quantities of Box proposed, we are on the hunt. So what is happening, what is the disease and what to do? Canker and Blight, both are a soil borne fungus. Canker; entire stem browning to death appears like this below Blight; is a defoliation Since it is more fun to talk design, let's have a brief chat on these issues first. It's all about your recognition and management. If you want an accurate diagnosis, take a clipping to your County Extension Service. But erring on the safe side, treat both the same. Cut out the affected stems. Between each cut dip your pruners in a jar of bleach. 2. Remove all dead/fallen leaves around the plants. Left alone, they will re-infect. Discard diseased limbs, do not put into the compost bin 3. Spray monthly in the growing season with a Fungicide. This Copper Fungicide is a good choice Ok, back to the fun! Boxwood is so versatile, clipped into formal shapes, rounded, square, hedged, topiary, even animal forms, to name a few. England and France have taken this to an art form. In formal gardens Rustic gardens. Personally loved the tightly sheared box settled in to the free form of all else. CONTRASTS! Brilliant in containers Here is an image of my garden in early spring. You can imagine that this view is attractive all year as the Box element looks the same season after season Here is a wider view. I would like to take your eye to the far right, there you will find a massive box. Look really close, can you see a chicken, the face and the upright tail? These attempts take FOREVER! My landscape crew had a massive brain freeze and cut off the head and the tail! WHAT?!? These guys are good, really good. Oddly, no one knows who the executioner was 😡 The Europeans do not hesitate to add Box to their veg and cutting gardens, for the sole purpose of aesthetics........nice! Let's dream........... This is a client who enjoys the snugness this hedge provides without impeding her views The former garden of the uber talented Loi Thai of Tone on Tone blog, Swedish antique specialist, shopkeeper, designer, and best of the best on social media, he is well loved. Photography by Helen Norman Did you get any ideas? If Boxwood is in your future, secure it now! This image stopped me in my tracks. Ever notice how an image can reach out and grab you, you can't stop staring? This is it for me. Pay attention when that happens to you. Recognize what it is that pulls your heart & soul in, why are you drawn and take note. Try incorporating those elements into your life or let it rest in the place of your dreams to visit again and again. The aspect that draws me in is the contrast of a motionless plant and the movement of the wood straps. Contrast! LOCAL NEWS! see below, this will not scroll down 😡 THIS WEEKS CLASS…….Lean Fake Calligraphy Yes, you can do this in a few hours. Course includes, instruction, macro mini pen from Japan, Rhodia fine paper notebook Thursday March 2nd. 7pm 3 spots left $30.00 SG GENEVA; 630.232.1303 Cheers! Debra

I'm adding Amsonia to my New England garden. Amsonia Hubrictii? Amsonia Tabernaemontana? or another variety? which is the best one to add?

Any season is a great time to visit The Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC, but there are two times a year that are an absolute must!

While the human heroes of our conflicts were decorated with medals and showered with due tribute, the animals who went to war with them have remained quietly unsung.

Homesickness Quotes. "Maybe you had to leave in order to really miss a place; maybe you had to travel to figure out how beloved your starting point was."

by wordyelaine

September in Illinois is the number one month to plant. The soil is warm so plants root quickly The temperatures begin to moderate Rainfall is more frequent, think less watering! With all these benefits, perennials, in particular, will fully root prior to freezing. Sounds good doesn't it?! Thinking of a landscape renovation? My uppermost principle is to wed your homes architecture to the landscape. Each should compliment the other. Let's investigate further......... My hands down favorite! WHY THIS WORKS; creating a focal point with the center protrusion . the 3 fountains repeat the color ways in the roof . the hardscape blends with the color ways of the siding WHY THIS DOES NOT WORK; No thought to the landscape let alone to the magnificent architecture. One of the aspects to think about is if you prefer asymmetrical, as above, or symmetrical designs. Many times the house will make that decision for you, however it is not a steadfast rule. A symmetrical design that flows with the architecture. WHY THIS WORKS; My favorite combination, the structured bones of the boxwood which mirrors the structured lines of this home and the randomness of the flowers which take a nod to a farmhouse The white of the home is reflected in the flower selection WHY THIS WORKS; symmetrical . the boxwood pattern is another layer as are the steps . an uncomplicated design for a contemporary home WHY THIS WORKS; If i may be so bold, this after all, one of our clients.....A European styled cottage and the same style landscape, random and free flowing. Note however the repetition of plants down the line, a good pattern to follow for this type of garden or it can be too hodgepodge. . The broken stone path is a nod to the homes stone and brick work . bench in the far background is the same color as the limestone in the walk WHY THIS WORKS: the pathway emulates the rectangle pattern of the stone wall and the door . same color way . an example of symmetry in the landscape against a asymmetrical home . lighting emanating from the front door is the same in the garden, LED uprights would have been incorrect WHY THIS WORKS; At times the architecture is so interesting a subtle landscape allows the home to shine . The Belgian fence of ivy, mirrors the transom lights WHY THIS DOES NOT WORK, WELL; A cape cod styled home, in it's grandest form to a simple cottage has a great landscape style. This looks like they ran out of money! How can I say this when in the above image I said simple can do well without upstaging the architecture? Now this is all personal opinion, but think this could have been so much more interesting. Sometimes you have a home style that is regional, as in this case a more modest cape. If your home is of a regional style think about the indigenous plants. Capes say Hydrangea's, roses and ornamental grasses WHY THIS WORKS; Planting are appropriate for the home . The fence matches the trim and the style . The arched arbor mirrors the windows and the porch, WHY THIS WORKS; A GREAT blend of materials . the portico roof, door, containers, hardscape all play off each other. NOTE: My fav bluestone called 'Full Range' has tones of browns in it and is less expensive! WHY THIS DOES NOT WORK; A hulk of a house, Teutonic in style, has such a small and diminutive garden, but there are great lessons here. Notice how the beds hug the house, scale wise they should be much larger with much larger plantings . There is nothing going for it that relates to the architecture, colors or materials WHY THIS WORKS; The hardscape blends with the stone on the house . The ball finial repeats the circular element on the portico and further enhanced with the boxwoods WHY THIS WORKS; Scale is great with the garden extending away from the house. Consider doing this so that when you look out your windows you have a great view. Hugging too tight to the house eliminates that opportunity . The orange of the trim is repeated with the plantings . An informal style matches nicely WHY THIS WORKS; Love how the grand entrance is made even more so by the plants hugging the house and not the walk . plantings are appropriate for the architecture . The square blocks in the walk reflect the door and window pattern Love how the topiaries are trimmed to reflect the windows WHY THIS WORKS; Ornamental grasses are perfect for this style and particularly planted en masse . The house is very austere, the plantings loose and sway with the wind, opposites attract No doubt you are seeing the trend Perfection When adding structure, pick up color ways on the house Lastly, want to thank everyone that participated in our event DOG DAYS OF SUMMER. Thought you might like to see some of the images from our photographer Nancy Villwock Our manager, Monica's dog Cooper This man signed up for the raffles and won the Dash and Albert bed! We exceeded our hopes in donations. A dear friend of mine from upstate New York read the blog and sent in a donation All photo's inside and outside the shop. This pooch is 14 and in the latter days of her life. Her people had a series of gorgeous photo's taken. These images are of two siblings available for adoption, CUTE! Thank you Nancy and to all that participated to benefit H.E.L.P! Debra

A curry? Made from watermelon? You don’t get it. Neither did I — at least at first. When I came across this traditional dish from Rajasthan, the largest state in India located in the northwest corner of the country, I didn’t quite know what to think of it. I can eat pounds and pounds of watermelon in all forms throughout the summer, but this isn’t one I expected. I tried it anyway, and guess what? It works — it works extremely well.

English gardens

www.davidrironsjrphotography.com I hope you are not getting tired of Mount Rainier shots? I have so many from the numerous trips I made this past August, that I want to share them. This year was fantastic for wildflowers with so many flowering at the same time! This was shot on that morning where the mountain was covered in fog and a list mist had been falling. All of the flowers were covered in dew drops, and there just seemed to be a sense of peace while walking the trails above Paradise. This is three exposures merged and tonemapped in Photomatix. I did a little "Dodge and Burn" in Photoshop as well as added a slight vignette in Lightroom. Thank you for your views, comments and faves! I appreciate them. Please do not use my images on blogs or websites without my permission. All images are available for license or sale. Thank you.

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Why Coppicing/Pollarding is part of This Permaculture Design Coppiced Tree We teach the fundamentals of coppicing and pollarding at every full Permaculture ...

Jessie Willcox Smith, Illustrator from A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES by Robert Louis Stevenson 1947 edition

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I've got this thing for flowers. Yes it's Instagram friendly, but more so than that it just makes me feel good. It's hard to be mad when you're looking at a field of flowers isn't it? Like you may have read me mention in previous posts Toronto has long winters. Like really long winters. Take

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