In Honor of Halloween...WICKED PLANTS!

Since Halloween is just around the corner (BOO!) I was thinking of how I could combine the scariness of Halloween with the beauty of horticulture...and I think I found the perfect video from our friend Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants! Watch and don't be to scared...ENJOY!



-Karen
GMG

Great Scott! Great Scott Brinitzer that is!

Scott Brinitzer, of Scott Brinitzer Design Associates, Inc., of Arlington, Va, received the Monrovia Distinctively Better Plant Design Award for 2010 at the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) International Landscape Design conference in Dallas this fall. In order to be selected, the landscape design must incorporate a wide variety of plant material to create a landscape with horticultural style - and for 2010 Scott did it best! Pictured with Scott is Kathy Rudnyk of Monrovia. Scott also won a Gold Award for his work. Sooooo! Landscape designers -- start considering what you can submit to win for 2011. Kathleen @ GMG.

Succulents are Hot!

I remember during my college days living off-campus and having a small container of succulents that I totally neglected, but somehow, even covered up with strewn papers, clothes and an occasional lampshade, they survived. Amazing.

Succulents are cool. The easy sustainable plants produce showy flowers along with thick, fleshy foliage that stores water like a camel's hump! ( I confess, it must be the real reason my poor college plants survived!)

The above image shows how lovely they can look, along with sedum, displayed in a gorgeous Terra Nova Container from Campania.

These exotic-looking and versatile plants can adorn landscapes, roofs, and turn heads grouped in beautiful containers.

Drought-tolerant and able to thrive in a variety of conditions, succulents are perfect for small gardens and large landscapes, and yes, ideal for college dorms!

~Lynne GMG

Edibles Are Still Hot for 2011

Go ahead and mix it up! Berries next to tomatoes and azaleas under grapevines may sound odd but are a growing trend according to the professional landscape designers of APLD.

Fresh berries like raspberries and blueberries you can pick right from home are spiking in popularity. Blueberries offer four seasons of color and juicy berries rich in antioxidants.

Try the first-ever pink blueberry “Pink Lemonade” (pictured here) from Briggs Nursery. This pink blueberry bush provides delicious fruit rich in anti-oxidants plus four seasons of color -- white flowers in spring, bright pink fruit in summer, great fall color and finally dusky auburn stems in winter

And according to a recent survey by the Garden Writers Association, about 16 percent more American households planned to add a veggie garden and an additional 12 percent planned on adding an herb garden. Why? More than three-fourths of respondents felt veggies are less expensive with better taste, quality and nutrition.

So go ahead and plant more berries and veggies for a tasty and healthy spring! To see a complete list of 2011 Gardening Trends, visit GMG.

-Stacey

GMG

From Luxury to Steampunk: Indoor Plants Are Trending Again in '11

From “steampunk” Victorian hipster decor rocking among young urbanites to upscale suburban homes, decorating with houseplants like orchids, ferns and palms is another hot trend for 2011.

Steampunk blends Victorian textures and accessories with high-tech architectural features. To bring it home, we like mixing Victorian plant preferences like ferns and orchids with neutrals or shiny metallics containers from Campania International.

Chic and easy to grow, orchids add a lavish touch to any room. Plus these hard-working beauties clean indoor air from volatile organic compounds and provide oxygen. For tips on growing orchids, visit Orchids Are Easy.

Phalaenopsis (moth) orchids as well as other varieties are perfect choices for affordable, colorful plants that look as comfortable in 21st century homes as they did in Victorian days. To learn more about the health benefits of indoor houseplants check out O2forYou.org.

For more 2011 Garden Trends, visit Garden Media Group

Enjoy your indoor plants!
Suzi

James Doyle Design Associates = Landscape Designer of the Year

I had the pleasure of meeting the James Doyle Design Associates team in Dallas, and I recently touched base with William Healy, APLD, chairman of the APLD Awards Committee about the winning entry-- Harmony Farm. "The timeless design style associated with Russell Page - bold structure, strong clean lines, masterful plant selection, and proper restraint boldy shows thourough in the works of James Doyle Design Associates. Their body of work also confirms that they express equal reverence for modern as well as classical design," said Healy.

I so wish I could share with you the before and after pictures of the landscape. You really don't understand how much of a transformation this garden is! Editor and reporter friends who read GMG's blog ~ perhaps you can inspire JDDA to share the before pictures with you! Send me a message and we can chat! :) Kathleen

Growing Up!

Green walls. Vertical gardens. From vines and veggies growing upward from containers to vertical walls blooming with edibles, it seems everywhere you look, people are experimenting with vertical gardening.

Urban apartments are decorated with walls blooming with the savory aromas of rosemary, thyme and basil. Vivid "living walls" display lush green foliage that refreshes the senses. Vertical gardens are showing up in offices, shops and even restaurants.

Joe Zazzera, with Plant Solutions, Inc. and Green Plants for Green Buildings (GPGB.org) remarks that..."Vertical gardens are becoming increasingly popular and will grow far beyond anything we can envision."

Here in PA, Longwood Gardens is displaying the world's largest living indoor wall as a permanent installation. Peggy snapped a photo. Wow. Breathtaking. All this beauty and as a bonus-- cleaner air, too!

Enjoy!!

Lynne

GMG

Up on the Roof at Martha

Last Friday, we spent a great day in the Big Apple visiting media. We were fortunate enough to get a behind-the-scenes tour of Martha Stewart Living's main office.

During our tour, I asked if we could check-out their rooftop garden since I knew that they had many of Campania's fabulous lightweight containers on display. It was a little windy, but the views from the rooftop were absolutely amazing!

Here are some photos that I snapped of Campania's Lite(R) Avantgarde line in various sizes. I love these containers for their durability, frost resistance and natural materials. Perfect for NYC roof decks!

-Stacey

GMG

Knock Out Roses at the White House

Our good friend Susan Harris posted on GardenRant today a story about her visit to the White House gardens this past weekend . Here's a great shot of the South Lawn fountain surrounded by Knock Out Roses.

Susan says the fountain once was surrounded by bedding annuals but now shows-off low-maintenance and crowd-pleasing Knock Out Roses.

So just imagine how gorgeous Knock Outs can make your own "white house" look.

For more Knock Out Rose ideas, visit the gallery of Knock Out photos.

Suzi

GMG

GMG 2011 Garden Trends - Gardening with a Purpose

Put your gloves on and join the fun because ‘gardening with a purpose’ is taking root.

The purpose may be to grow your own food or creating a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat with American Beauties, planting for a greener good is changing neighborhoods and communities - one garden at a time.

As backyard conservationists, gardeners are transforming yards, gardens, rooftops and even urban alleys into green and productive spaces, knowing they are making a positive impact.

This new solidago shortii ‘Solar Cascade,’ exclusively from North Creek Nurseries, is part of The American Beauties™ Native Plant collection. The golden arches create a fabulous mass planting of low-maintenance plants that attract wildlife and beneficial pollinators like butterflies, bees and birds.

We all are "Mother Earth's caretakers" and need to work together to rejuvenate, regenerate and restore our plant. Choosing eco-friendly products over toxic chemicals is a pro-active step to making our world cleaner and greener.

Click here to view the GMG 2011 Garden Trends Report.

Now get out in the garden and make a difference!

Suzi

2011 Blog Action Day: Water

Today is Blog Action Day. The one day on the web where bloggers across more than 130 countries all write about the same issue. This year Blog Action Day is focused on the issue of WATER.

There are so many ideas about how we should be handling our use or rather misuse of the earth's best resource...water. So many trains of thought, so many positive outlooks and just as many negative about how humans are both contaminating in some areas while leading the charge to clean up other areas. Can't we just make up our mind to all agree how to handle the situation or are some areas of the world just willing to work harder than others.

Quick hitting facts about Water... (from Water.org)

• Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease.
• 890 million people lack access to safe water.
• 2.5 billion people don’t have a toilet.
• $25 brings one person clean water for life.
• Over 200 million hours of labor each day are consumed each day to collect water.
• The majority of the world’s illness is caused by fecal matter.
• More people on earth have cell phones than toilets.

There is one site that has tried to gather all these blog postings for today....you can read many at the Blog Action Day site. Get an overall view of what each of us can do on a personal level to change our habits, get one more idea about how to help in your neighborhood and then maybe an act to participate globally. Remember, if we all just took one of the great ideas posted to heart we are each making a contribution to a better environment for not only ourselves but for people across the planet and for generations to come.

-Karen
GMG

Check out GMG in NYC!

The GMG Gals are in NYC today...first stop...Martha Stewart...

Wind Through the Trees

What a fabulous day we all had last Friday visiting Philadelphia area gardens during the GWA Regional II Meeting. I think the weather gods were on our side since the day was just perfect for exploring gardens!

Our last stop of the day was Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens in Devon, PA. This undiscovered horticultural gem had over 65 amazing sculptures featuring sound and motion in a 15 acre setting. The sculptures were so cool that I decided to create a short video of this one-of-kind exhibit.

Click on the link below to see my virtual tour of these amazing works of art.

GMG Visits Jenkins Arboretum

The exhibit runs through June 2011, so be sure to put it on your calendar if you're in the area!

-Stacey

GMG

Chanticleer: A true pleasure!

They call it a "pleasure garden." This past Friday we visited three great gardens in our area. I must admit I was smitten by Chanticleer in Wayne, PA. Wow. A true pleasure and visual treat.

Chanticleer was formerly a private estate and is now available for the public to enjoy the trees and plants and amazing gardens.

From Asian gardens and a water garden to artistry among the paths that end in surprising whimsy, (like a carved stone "settee"), there's something that will delight just about everyone looking for an escape from the hub-bub of our busy lives. (Stacey is trying out the built in remote on the arm rest!)

Enjoy these images but better yet, plan a visit. You won't be disappointed.

~Lynne
GMG

Zester Daily Soapbox: "Waking From Our Lawn Coma" by Margie Grace, Grace Design Associates

Margie Grace was named the first Landscape Designer of the Year by APLD. GMG has gotten to Margie through her award, work and outgoing pesonality. She is the type of gal that when you meet her you love her. She has created a video (click on the link below) about getting rid of your grass and replacing it with garden space! We love this idea, and we love Margie. Margie doesn't just talk - she lives it! She can walk out her front door and pick veggies. I had a great time with Margie at the APLD conference in Dallas. She has enough ideas and energy for all of us! :) Kathleen at GMG

Zester Daily Soapbox: "Waking From Our Lawn Coma" by Margie Grace, Grace Design Associates on Vimeo GMG

Golden-yellow beauty!

Native plants are hot - and no wonder! Gardeners love them for their beauty and ease. Plus, they attract wildlife and beneficial pollinators like butterflies, bees and birds.

We love this new golden-yellow beauty, Solidago shortii 'Solar Cascade', exclusively available from North Creek Nurseries, that's low-maintenance, attracts wildlife, and is drought tolerant and deer resistant. Gotta love it!

Description for all those wanting the skinny: The golden-yellow flowers enjoy full sun to part shade and bloom starting late summer and through fall. It's a clump forming perennial that shows well around borders, or mass plantings and reaches about knee-height (anywhere from 24-30 "- depending on your knee height) And, it looks great as a cut flower.

'Solar Cascade' is part of The American Beauties Native Plant collection. Proceeds from sales of plants benefit the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat Program. Very cool.

~Lynne GMG

Fall for container gardening!

I spotted this container at the Dallas Arboretum last week while attending the APLD conference. It reminded me of a spider, creeping out of a witch's cauldron. At home, I filled my window box with ornamental cabbage, mums and the potato vine is hanging on from the summer months. Campania International has a wonderful line - www.campaniainternational.com - but get ready to be wowed! Kathleen @ Garden Media Group.

Have a Green Thumb All Winter Long

Master gardener Nancy Bell, from Gateway Garden Center, shares her tips and tricks for preparing your garden now for a fabulous spring. Check out some of her favorite plants and bulbs that those pesky deer won't eat!

-Stacey
GMG

Celebrating Wilburton Inn Style

What a weekend for a wedding planning trip to Vermont. On Friday in the wake of the terrential rains, I drove to Summitt and picked up Katie and Ethan. With Jack and Katie in the backseat and Ethan at the wheel, we took off for The Wilburton Inn in beautiful Manchester, Vermont to meet up with Barbara and David Dubow for the weekend.

From the moment we turned off Historic 7A on to River Road, we returned "to an era of style and romance." The road winds past stone walls and beautiful homes to the welcoming tree lined drive of the Wilburton Inn and its innkeepers Albert and Georgette Levis.

The 1902 handsome tudor masion rises on the crest of the cliff overlooking rolling hills that strecth out into the Battenkill valley, separating the Taconic and Green Mountains. The views are breathtaking. The setting is magical. The hospitality is gracious.

We fell in love instantly and knew this was the perfect setting for Katie and Ethan's Vermont wedding.

The garden sculpture path is magnificent and worth the 6 hour journey from Kennett Square.

We look forward to our next trip - and this time with Fred!

Suzi

GardenMediaGroup.com

Sorry Honey!

To the generous homeowners of Dallas who opened their garden to those of us attending the APLD conference last week -- THANK YOU! And to my husband who has to hear me go on, and on about the fabulous designers that I met and stunning outdoor rooms that we toured - I AM SORRY. Look at how lush and colorful this landscape is! I am keeping this post short because the pictures say it all. Attending an APLD Conference allows you to tour the gardens you see in magazines, to hear about the planning, inspiration and installation first hand - and to come away with a head full of new ideas to execute. If you like the sounds of this.... the Association of Professional Landscape Designers will host their 2011 conference in Cleveland. Kathleen GMG