Bursting with garden inspiration

LOCAL gardening enthusiast George Hoad is bursting with new ideas and plans for his renowned Killabakh garden after returning from a seven week sojourn around the English country side.

After months of planning George embarked on his trip that included a mix of education and sightseeing opportunities, visiting around 50 very different gardens that he carefully selected because of their design, history and style.

With a long love affair of English gardens, George has had several trips to the United Kingdom over the years but this one was centred around a week long ‘Gardening Symposium at Great Dixter’, something he has always wanted to do.

The famous Great Dixter Garden is one of George’s favourite gardens in the world and to see and study it up close for an entire week, was something he will remember forever.

“It was just magnificent, the course was everything and more that I could have hoped for,” he says.

Conducted by Fergus Garrett, a famed gardener in his own right and head gardener at Great Dixter, ‘The Art of Gardening’ is an intensive, hands-on horticultural tuition that delves into the late Christopher Lloyd’s - creator of Great Dixter - gardening techniques and individual style. Also included were private visits to some iconic gardens such as Sissinghurst, Gravetye Manor and The Beth Chatto Gardens where George was thrilled to meet and talk with the legendary owner.

“As a gardener I’ve learnt so much from that week, it was such a wonderful experience,” enthuses George.

“I can now apply the same principles and techniques used at Great Dixter to my own garden, such as how to get the most out of each square metre through better plant selection. succession planting, contrasting texture and foliage - it’s endless.”

Whilst over there George also visited the village of Winchelsea, Sussex, home to his Hoad ancestors and after which his own garden is named and situated only 10 kms from Great Dixter.

“It’s always nice to go back there, I feel right at home in that part of England.”

Article Source: http://www.winghamchronicle.com.au/news/local/news/general/bursting-with-garden-inspiration/2275987.aspx

Three water garden design ideas from the Getty Center

Recently, I gathered three great water design ideas while on a short walk. In Los Angeles I joined a docent-led tour down the hillside in the Central Garden at the Getty Center.

I had seen photos of the famous Bowl Garden [see first photo above], the round pool designed by Robert Irwin, where clipped azaleas appear to float in a complicated pattern on the water. (They’re in planter boxes separate from the pool.)

But what I really wanted to experience was the stream that leads down to the Bowl Garden. Here’s what I discovered:
Tip No. 1 – Zigzag the pathway

Streams are usually designed with pathways next to the water for close-up enjoyment. But the Getty’s steep hillside had to accommodate visitors, some of whom use wheelchairs, so the museum’s pathway had to have a gentle incline.

The solution to that design problem is elegant. The water flows straight down the hill in a narrow canal lined with square cobbles of rock. [See second photo above; click on arrow at right base of first photo.] The concrete path zigzags back and forth across the hill, continually crossing the rushing water in the center by a series of bridges.

What a wonderful idea. It’s visually exciting to keep turning toward the splashing rill and then walking away from it. The sound of the stream fades away as you leave it and then returns as you reach another crossing.

In a home garden setting, would it be possible to create a path that zigzags back and forth? Especially on steep slopes, a little engineering could be added for both comfort and pleasure.
Design Tip No. 2 -- Change the rock size as the journey progresses

At the beginning of the stream, the first rocks are as big as children’s playhouses. They’re so big that they jam the cobbled bed so that you can’t even see the moving water. But you can hear it. The splashes echo like a cave, once again reminding you to listen and enjoy.

At each bridge more of the stream is revealed as the rocks get progressively smaller. On the next crossing, the rocks are wheelbarrow size. You can glimpse the water rushing around them.

The sound changes as the boulder size is reduced. [See photo at left.] Under the last bridge, the stream flows freely [see second photo at left] and almost silently over a bed of small stone rectangles, the surface barely rippling.

Even on a much smaller scale in a backyard, you could use this idea of ever-changing rock size. Under the right circumstances, it might be brilliant. These are the same elements that make up any artificial stream, but you’re ordering them in a more conscious way.
Tip No. 3 -- Divide the waters

Right before the Bowl Garden, a final bridge [see third photo above] with arching metal side rails hides a change worthy of a magician’s trick. It appears that the water flows under the bridge and then pours down a large spillway to the round azalea pool below. [See third photo at left.] It doesn’t.

According to Lorrie Levin, a museum docent, the water in the rill is treated with algaecides to keep it clear and the rocks clean. Those chemicals would never do in the azalea pool. So under that last bridge, a pump pushes the rill water back up the hill, while another pump brings pool water up and over the spillway to create the dramatic waterfall. The bridge allows the illusion of a continuous flow.

This kind of division could be very useful in a home situation. Natural streams could appear to flow down to treated water in swimming pools or hot tubs. Or, as at the Getty, the stream could be kept free of algae, whereas the pond below would be safe for plants and fish without the addition of chemicals. Biological filters and other equipment can also be hidden under bridges. Creating an illusion of joined water opens up many possibilities.

Editor's note: If you didn't look at the photos as you read the blog post, enjoy them as a slide show of the Getty water gardens. There are three at the top of the page and three at left.

Article Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Gardening/diggin-it/2011/0825/Three-water-garden-design-ideas-from-the-Getty-Center

Garden Appetizers: Fresh Ideas for Fresh Vegetables

There is nothing quite like appetizers made with fresh summer ingredients. Vine-ripened tomatoes, crisp cabbage, and crunchy carrots are all tasty choices for creating delicious bite-sized snacks. By incorporating garden fresh vegetables, each recipe below creates food that is both simple and fresh.

The featured recipe for Vegetable Egg Rolls creates crunchy appetizers using a wide variety of summer vegetables. These egg rolls are stuffed with colorful garden produce like cabbage, carrots, snow peas, and mushrooms. This recipe also lists easy instructions that came from my sister, Rikke, who lives in scenic northern Idaho. Unlike many recipes for egg rolls, Rikke stuffs her egg rolls with fresh, uncooked vegetables. This method creates a delicious egg roll that retains the crunchy texture of garden fresh vegetables. In fact, my husband’s first reaction after taking a bite of one of these egg rolls was “wow!”

When paired with Asian food like Thai Chicken Fried Rice, the Vegetable Egg Roll recipe below is a perfect appetizer to serve family and friends while stir-frying the main entrée. Not only is it crisp and tasty, this recipe also allows for substituting other ingredients like bean sprouts, chicken, or chiles for any of the vegetables called for in the recipe.

Another delicious appetizer that draws its fresh taste from vine-ripened tomatoes is Tomato Bruschetta. By starting with tomatoes that have been allowed to ripen on the vine, a tasty topping can be created and scooped onto thin slices of toasted bread brushed with garlic-infused oil. Not only is this appetizer simple to create, it combines other garden flavors like fresh basil and onion.

Pronounced “brus’ketta,” the Italian antipasto in the recipe below has been around since the 15th century. Although Italian bruschetta consists of roasted bread rubbed with garlic oil and topped with a variety of vegetables and meat, Americans tend use the word “bruschetta” to refer to the topping rather than the appetizer. Like store-bought bruschetta containing tomatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs, the recipe below calls for similar ingredients but is prepared according to the Italian tradition.

Another Italian appetizer that combines fresh tomatoes with other summer vegetables is the recipe below for Baby Bella Parmigiano. This tasty appetizer combines grilled baby bella mushrooms brushed with garlic-flavored olive oil and topped with American bruschetta, mozzarella, parmesan, and basil. These mini vegetable appetizers are delicious finger-food and are appealing to both the eye and the palate. It is also an excellent appetizer of choice when following a low-carb diet.

Since Tomato Bruschetta and Baby Bella Parmigiano call for American bruschetta, I like making both of these appetizers at the same time. By having extra garlic-infused olive oil and American bruschetta, both the bread slices and mushrooms can be prepped and grilled at the same time. After the initial grilling, the mushrooms can continue to be grilled with additional toppings while the bruschetta is prepared and served on a serving plate.

While garden vegetables continue to ripen and flourish in the garden, take advantage of the remaining summer time to cook with all of that fresh produce. And if you don’t have a garden, remember that your local vegetable stands are at their peak when it comes to selling a variety of delicious produce that can be used in food created from summer recipes like the ones below.

Vegetable Egg Rolls (makes 16)

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

½ cup snow peas, ends cut and finely chopped

½ cup shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped

3 green onions, finely chopped (or ½ cup onion, finely chopped)

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

½ teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

16 egg roll wrappers

Canola oil for baking or frying

1. Mix cabbage, carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, onions, ginger, and garlic. Stir in rice vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, and pepper.
2. Lay out one egg roll wrapper with one corner pointed toward you. Place about a ¼ to 1/3 cup of the cabbage filling in middle of wrapper. Fold corner up over the mixture. Fold left and right corners toward the center. Roll egg roll tightly to opposite corner. With wet hands, seal opposite corner with water onto wrapper. Fold and fill remaining wrappers.
3. Pour ¾ in. of oil into medium fry pan. Heat oil to 350 or until a cube of bread will fry to golden brown in about 10 seconds. Add egg rolls a few at a time. Fry about 20-30 seconds, turning with tongs in order to cook all sides, until golden brown.

Kitchen Tips

* If you would rather not fry and are looking for a healthier option, brush egg rolls lightly with olive oil. Then bake egg rolls on a cookie sheet at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until egg rolls are golden brown.
* Small pieces of chicken can be substituted for the mushrooms and snow peas.
* For even easier egg rolls, you can substitute 4 cups of cole slaw mix for the 3 cups of cabbage and 1 cup of carrots.

Tomato Bruschetta (makes 16)

8 plum-size garden tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)

½ cup onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

16 thin slices from a loaf of Italian bread or French Baguette

16 fresh basil leaves.

1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour over tomato mixture and toss to coat.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Mix olive oil and garlic. Brush bread slices on both sides with olive oil mixture. Grill or broil bread slices until lightly toasted on both sides. Remove from heat and onto serving plate.
6. Using a slotted spoon, top each toasted slice with a tablespoon of tomato mixture.
7. Garnish with chopped basil leaves.

Baby Bella Parmigiano (makes 16)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic

16 Baby Bella Mushrooms

2/3 cup diced tomatoes

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup onion, finely chopped

2 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced and quartered

¼ cup shaved parmesan

16 fresh basil leaves

1. Stir together olive oil and garlic.
2. Brush mushrooms lightly with garlic oil. Broil or grill until tender.
3. Meanwhile, mix tomatoes, garlic, and onion. Top each mushroom with a tablespoon of tomato mixture and a quarter slice of mozzarella. Grill or broil until cheese is melted. Top each mushroom with parmesan shavings and basil leaves. Broil or grill just until basil leaves begin to wilt. Remove from heat and transfer to serving plate.

Article Source: http://avonlake.patch.com/articles/garden-appetizers-fresh-ideas-for-fresh-vegetables

Ideas sought on City in a Garden

The National Parks Board (NParks) has come up with six areas to enhance the Republic's living environment by having more parks and gardens in housing estates.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said during his National Day Rally speech Singapore would be a City in a Garden.

NParks will be looking to enliven Singapore's streetscape, enrich biodiversity in urban environments and optimise urban spaces for greenery and recreation.

Other areas also include inspiring communities to create a greener Singapore, enhancing Singapore's horticultural and landscape competencies, and establishing world-class gardens.

The public can contribute their suggestions on these six areas or suggest other ways to enhance Singapore's living environment on the portal www.nparks.gov.sg/ciag

Singaporeans have until next June to submit their suggestions.

In the meantime, NParks will be holding roving exhibitions at parks, educational institutions and housing estates to get people to think of ways in which living in a Garden can be achieved.

They can also post their comments on NParks' Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/nparksbuzz

An NParks spokesman said suitable ideas and suggestions from the public will be implemented and announced when ready.

Preview

Article Source: http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110822-0000630/Ideas-sought-on-City-in-a-Garden

Hort society champions share secrets of their winning garden

When Meg and I turned the corner into the quiet North Edmonton cul-de-sac we both knew we had found the right place. The home of Gary and Lorraine Friedel is a neighborhood jewel, tucked a half dozen turns away from the main road but instantly recognizable as a labour of love.

We were heading to the Friedels to interview them as the Grand Challenge winners of the Edmonton Horticultural Society’s (EHS) Garden Competition in the category of Large Yard. The competition, designed to promote excellence in gardening, is not easy to win. Every year there are hundreds of entries in numerous categories. Being familiar with some of the other yards exceptional in the “Large Yard” category, I knew that this yard must be something very special and I wasn’t disappointed.

If you’re interested in learning more about the EHS, look them up at edmontonhort.com. You can meet hundreds of Edmonton and area gardeners who love to inspire, challenge, and educate their fellow enthusiasts.

Labour of love

What makes Gary and Lorraine’s accomplishment so remarkable is that in only five years they have transformed a yard of half-dead grass into a complex and multi-faceted garden that delights the visitor at every twist and turn.

The yard proves that all you need is the right blend of enthusiasm and time to make your garden extraordinary. Gary designed, dug, grew, planted, watered, and just willed the garden into existence. He even mixed the concrete for the sidewalks himself. During May and June he spends an astonishing 15 hours a day in the garden, but in the summer he “only” spends about four hours a day outside.

Anyone looking at the immaculately tended beds, 90 container gardens and a centrepiece pond surrounded by tropical foliage, will find it hard to believe that Gary didn’t garden much before he retired. It’s a labour of love that his wife Lorraine, who is smiling as we stroll, says she walks through every morning and always finds something new.

“I don’t do much of the gardening,” she says. “I take care of the gardener.”

The creation

Looking at the before and after pictures of the yard is astonishing. Gary isn’t a believer in the top-down approach of creating a grand garden plan. He put the garden together piece by piece through a combination of necessary changes (eg. raised beds in areas prone to flooding) and trial and error.

Gary spends his winters reading gardening books and magazines and staring out the window at the snowy yard outside, dreaming of spring. In the early spring he constructs a temporary greenhouse on the patio to give a head start to his bulbs and large tropical plants that he overwintered inside.

Tropical heart of the garden

At the centrepiece of the garden, neatly tucked away beside the back patio, is the heart of the Friedel garden. It’s a pool that, at about three feet deep and over 10 feet wide with a babbling creek flowing into it, provides an instant sense of relaxation.

In order to add to the ambience of the scene, and to take advantage of the increased humidity around the pool, Gary has surrounded it with containers of lush tropical plants. Massive Canna lilies, Alocasia and Castor Beans thrive on three sides while marginal grasses grow in the pool itself.

At the heart of the pool are water lilies like I’ve never seen in Alberta. While my mouth was still open at the 10 or so blooms, Lorraine told me that it had 15 blooms recently, a feat unheard of in Edmonton. Gary overwinters the lilies by wrapping them in moist peat moss and cooling them in the fridge’s crisper.

Watering and mildew

From countless hours spent in the garden, Gary has a wealth of practical wisdom for Edmonton and area gardeners. I wrote his tips furiously as he went from one topic to the other.

When I noticed his stunning bed of dahlias growing over three feet against a wall and blooming like crazy, he told me how he keeps powdery mildew off them. He prunes out the bottom leaves (about six inches up) so that they don’t droop into the wet soil and provide a home for fungus. Sure enough, there wasn’t a trace of mildew.

He’s careful not to water any foliage in the garden, especially through wet summers like this one. Wet leaves at night are incubators for powdery mildew.

There’s cedar mulch everywhere, even in the container gardens. Not only does it reduce stress on the roots, Gary says, it also cuts their water consumption by over 50 per cent. The mulch would be especially useful in some of his larger containers, which boast constantly thirsty tropical foliage and petunias. With plants as large as he has, they would otherwise have to be watered daily or more.

Pest control

A gorgeous garden does not have to be sprayed clean of every living thing. Gary understands that every garden has its own internal food chains and he uses that to his advantage.

Gary encourages ladybugs and other beneficial insects to overwinter by leaving the leaves and mulch in the beds until the spring. The ladybugs take care of most of the aphids so that he doesn’t have to use very many chemicals, only spraying as a hesitant last resort.

When I asked about how he keeps dandelions out of his lawn (there wasn’t one to be found), he had a similar approach when it came to using chemicals. He confirmed that a lush, healthy lawn will choke out almost all dandelions. For the stubborn that survive, he spot sprays Killex on individual dandelions and never sprays the entire lawn.

Experimenting

As I mentioned above, Gary created the garden by pouring his time and passion into it piece by piece and year by year. When I asked what advice he’d like to give his fellow gardeners, he said that the garden evolved through good old fashioned trial and error:

“Don’t be afraid to experiment. If you do one or two new things every year you can always hide them away if they don’t work.”

Rob Sproule is the author of Gardening with Colour, Creative Design Ideas for Canadian Gardens (Lone Pine Publishing) and the co-owner of Salisbury Greenhouse in Sherwood Park. For more information, go to salisburygreenhouse.com.

Article Source: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Hort+society+champions+share+secrets+their+winning+garden/5257355/story.html

Big ideas for small spaces shared at gardening fair

From rooftops to balconies to tiny backyards, gardens can bloom anywhere, even in small spaces.

An event organized by Live Green Toronto in partnership with the Carrot Common Green Roof is aiming to help people grow food anywhere.

The Food from Small Spaces Fair: Urban Backyard, Balcony and Rooftop Food-Growing event takes place Saturday, Aug. 13 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Eastminster United Church.

"We've had a lot of requests from community groups on how they can develop container growing or how to start a community garden," said Martina Rowley, one of Live Green Toronto's community animators. "There's a huge interest in urban gardening."

Nearly half of Toronto residents live in apartments or condos so if they want to garden they have limited real estate in which to do it.

"If you live in an apartment building or condo (you'll learn) what you can do or if you just have a small patch of grass," Rowley said.

There will be information and displays on growing food in containers, raised beds and on rooftops. The fair may be of interest to homeowners, too, as many backyards can be tight places to grow.

Rowley said the idea of growing one's own food is on the rise for several reasons.

"We've all noticed how the price of food has gone up," she said, adding even if one can afford the rising cost of food or organic fruits and vegetables nothing is as sure as growing the food yourself.

A good starting point for many first time or small space gardeners is herbs. Rowley said they can easily grow in small containers and sometimes with limited sun.

Items such as tomatoes, peppers and squash require larger spaces for their deeper roots and plenty of sun, but alternatives such as plum tomatoes may work.

"You probably wouldn't try to grow a pumpkin," Rowley said.

The fair will also feature guided tours of the new Carrot Common Green Roof where a variety of items are being grown. The 10,000-square-foot space features herbs, medicinal herbs, flowers and food such as tomatoes, kale, okra, beans, eggplant and zucchini.

"We're trying to see what can be grown in these small soil depths," said Kimberly Curry, the garden's director and designer.

The Carrot Common Garden folks wanted to be a part of the festival because it's a perfect fit.

"We thought it would be a good idea," Curry said. "It aligns with out mission about urban agriculture."

Rowley agreed.

"If you go up, there are a lot of flat spaces...It's a great example of container gardening," she said.

The tours takes place at 3 and 4 p.m.

There will also be live music, refreshments and giveaways. Admission to the event is free. Eastminster United Church is at 310 Danforth Ave.

Article Source: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/1055787--big-ideas-for-small-spaces-shared-at-gardening-fair

Places to go: Get ready for fall gardening, and learn about bonsai

Get ready for fall with the Fort Worth Home & Garden Show, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Shop for ideas, products and services for gardening, indoor and outdoor spaces, and home remodeling. Tickets are $9.50, $8.50 for seniors and free for children under 14. 1201 Houston St., Fort Worth. For more info and a discount coupon, visit www.texashomeandgarden.com.

Marshall Grain hosts a "Fall Veggie Clinic" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Fort Worth store (2224 E. Lancaster Ave.) and at 1 p.m. at the Grapevine store (3525 William D. Tate Ave. on the Texas 121 service road near the Hall-Johnson exit). Free. More info: 817-416-6600 or 817-536-5636, www.marshallgrain.com.

Calloway's Nursery presents a free clinic Saturday on adding cool splashes of color to your late-summer yard with container gardening. The clinic will begin at 10:15 a.m. at all Calloway's locations. More info: www.calloways.com.

Learn to cook with herbs at Tim's Landscape and Garden Center in Fort Worth. The class is 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at 7319 W. Vickery Blvd., Fort Worth. For more info or to reserve a spot, call 817-732-6861.

Register by Tuesday for a class Aug. 20 on square-foot gardening at Clark Gardens Botanical Park. The Celebrate Salad class will show you how to construct a bed, what to plant and when, and how to maintain your garden. Class will be 9 a.m.-noon. $30 per person, $25 for garden members. Go to www.clarkgardens.org to register and to learn about other late-summer classes. 567 Maddux Road, Weatherford, 940-682-4856.

Check out the bonsai show, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Rose Room. Admission is free. 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth. More info: www.fwbonsai.com.

Find the perfect table setting and sample the wares from 30 local boutiques and merchants at a special table-setting competition at Dishes From the Past in Fort Worth, now through September. Local boutiques and merchants have decorated tables that are now on display, and shoppers are invited to vote for their favorites. 3701 Lovell Ave., Fort Worth. More info: 800-984-8801, www.dishesfromthepast.com.

Send announcements of local home and garden happenings (including retail news) at least two weeks in advance of the event to Places to Go, Features Department, Star-Telegram, Box 1870, Fort Worth, TX 76101, or send an e-mail to dhunt@star-telegram.com with "Places to Go" in the subject line.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/08/11/3285215/places-to-go-get-ready-for-fall.html#tvg#ixzz1UnLopQN3