Grains of the Desert Borderlands

During our recent Garden Writers Association Symposium in Tucson, AZ, we toured local gardens. Of particular interest to me was an organization whose mission is to "conserve ancient heirloom [seeds], strengthen local food systems, and educate communities about seed saving and sustainability.

Native Seeds/SEARCH, is a 30-year old non-profit dedicated to preserving the native crop diversity of the Greater Southwest. Founded by the "father of the local food movement", Gary Paul Nabham, the organization maintains a collection of nearly 2,000 unique crop varieties of aridlands, many rare and endangered, and brings conserving our heritage seeds into the news.

From "Seed School" that trains people to build sustainable local seed systems rooted in ancient traditions, to Seed libraries and the Heritage Grain Alliance, focused on revitalizing heritage grain production, Native Seeds/SEARCH, was a fascinating eye-opener and gratifying to visit.

As we toured the displays of seeds and collection of  plants collected from natural settings, we came away impressed and inspired by this small band of dedicated people working diligently to gather, safeguard and distribute seeds to farming and gardening communities.

Do you have a similiar organization near you or know of one that helps preserve crop heritage? If so, we'd love to know. And share your thoughts on this growing movement!

Lynne, Garden Media Group

Garden Writers Symposium "Round-up"- AZ style

As our plane flew into Tucson, AZ, the startling landscape opened up like parchment unfurled, its tawny hues of dappled sand and green-grey plants revealing a soothing palette of desert colors that bid us welcome.

Team GMG (Suzi, Stacey, Katie and I) had arrived for the 2012 Garden Writers (GWA) Symposium, to participate in the most highly anticipated event of the year for professional communicators in the lawn and garden industry.This year's 64th symposium was attended by some 600 print and broadcast garden communicators and bloggers from around the world and top growers and vendors showing off new plants and products.

Our car meandered and climbed up the winding drive that crested in front of a stunning pink-toned adobe and stucco hotel and conference center, with towering cactus, swollen succulents and scarlet desert flowers dotting the landscape like silent sentinels against a cobalt blue western sky.

Between the hectic pace of greeting old friends and new, we prepared for our dinner party at Maynard's Market and Kitchen, an historic converted train station turned upscale restaurant. Cool jazz and smooth voices entertained as we mingled with our media guests and clients: Fall Creek® Farm & Nursery, Hines Growers, RESCUE!® all natural pest control, Premier Tech Horticulture and American Beauties Native Plants/North Creek Nursery.

 

Friday and Saturday saw the exhibitors hall packed with colorful booths brimming with new plants and products, like an open-air market filled with heady earthy scents wafting throughout the aisles.

Crowds gathered around the new flowering Bloomtastic!™and Patio Tropics!™ plants from Hines Growers, ground-breaking new BrazelBerries™ small ornamental fruit collection from Fall Creek® Farm & Nursery, all natural pest control traps from RESCUE!®, stunning native plants from American Beauties Native Plants® and new sustainable PRO-MIX® planting and potting mixes from Premier Tech Horticulture.

"That couldn't be a crinum," exclaims a writer peering intensely at the new Bloomtastic! Crinum Purple   Dream. The leaves look almost purply black!" 

"You mean we can now grow thornless raspberries in containers right in our backyards?" gasps another as she points to the new thornless dwarf raspberry shrub, Raspberry Shortcake™, part of the BrazelBerries collection.

People studied and handled the new fly tape and eco-friendly stink bug traps at the RESCUE! booth and enjoyed a festive atmosphere at the Premier booth.

Workshops like "Let's Talk Plants" romanced the attendees with alluring plant images and  meaty phrases in a lightning speed dating style. Joe Gray , senior vice president of Hines Growers casually chatted about their new plant introductions with the attentive audience and moderators, charming the crowd with asides.

Along with the exhibits, there were scores of workshops and garden tours that included a special visit to a unique seed listing organization that I'll dig into deeper next time.

Ciao, AZ... we loved our visit.

Next year...hint, hint...

Oh, Canada!

~Lynne

Garden Media Group

Cider donuts, pumpkins and plants

With the rich colors of the fall season, a visit to your local garden center makes it easy to add autumnal whimsy to your home's entryway, porch, patio or deck and seasonal touches indoors.

Piles of gourds and pumpkins along with corn stalks, hay bales and more are typically found at this time of year.

Ornamental grasses juxtaposed against textured orange and white pumpkins and colorful gourds, along with garden sculptures and paintings add seasonal interest.

Create containers of mini pumpkins and gourds. Try grouping by color for a monochromatic look that surprises when placed alongside a splash of vibrant mums.

Easy to grow herbs add color and a seasonal touch indoors and out.

Achillea Millefolium is a pretty yarrow that is a perfect "companion" plant in your garden with pink flowering heads that look wonderful when dried out and displayed in an arrangement or tucked in a wreath. Festoon your wreath with other dried herbs and leaves, berries, apples and  pine cones; the possibilities are endless as the acres of pumpkins, gourds and mums.

Beside picking up plants, pumpkins, apples and cider, many garden centers carry a wide array of specialty products. I confess to a secret addiction to crunchy, still warm-from-the-oven fresh baked apple cider donuts that can only be found this time of the year.

My annual pilgrimage to the temple of  apple heaven is rewarded with bags of apples, donuts, and apple and pumpkin butter that I share with friends and family. 

As you're meandering through corn mazes and enjoying haunted hayrides with your kids, don't forget to ask the garden center experts what shrubs, trees and bulbs are perfect for fall planting in your landscape. After the heat and drought many states experienced this year, cool weather is an ideal time to plant.

Share your favorite find at your local garden center along with your creative decorating tips. We'd love to see your images.

~Lynne

Garden Media Group

photos: Linvilla Orchard, GMG

Herbs, glorious herbs!

I was preparing a salad tonight and wanted to add that fresh kick of flavor that only fresh herbs can fill.

Although we've suffered through an unseasonably hot and dry summer, the sweet basil 'Genovese' I planted is growing nicely and complemented the flavors of  thick cheese slices and homegrown tomatoes.

The sprigs were perfect.

Herbs are simply marvelous. From ancient times, herbs have been used for culinary, medicinal and aromatic purposes.

They add splashes of color and texture to any size garden and are easy to grow throughout the landscape, as borders, or potted up in containers on balconies.

Pot up lavender; it's a marvelous container plant with multiple uses. From potpourri and sachets the essential oils are used in candles to perfumes and extracts can be used medicinally. Plus, it's a wonderfully exotic culinary herb.

Or grow chamomile and use the flowers to make yourself a nice cup of soothing tea to de-stress after a long day at work.

Whatever herbs you choose, The Growers Exchange makes it easy to select herbs perfect for your lifestyle. Enjoy!
Lynne
Garden Media Group
photo credits: Basil 'Genovese'; lavender and Common chamomile: The Growers Exchange

Roof Top Gardens flourish from Hong Kong to Philly

Green roofs are springing up from Hong Kong to Philadelphia as more and more cities and communities realize the benefits green roofs provide for people and the environment.

From growing edibles to planting colorful perennials and natives that attract beneficial wildlife, green roofs provide a relaxing escape from the noise and pollution of city life. As an added benefit, roof top gardens reduce rainwater runoff that contributes to flooding and pollution, and help cool buildings by absorbing heat.

With so much to offer, even big corporations like Philadelphia based PECO Energy have jumped on the green roof bandwagon.

They partnered with  PHS (Pennsylvania Horticulture Society), known for the prestigious Philadelphia International Flower Show, to design and maintain PECO's 45,000 square foot green roof  perched eight stories high above the crowded streets.

PHS provides plans, plants and maintenance, and conducts walking tours where visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the city along with areas that feature large planters filled with a variety of native grasses and perennials.

This fits nicely with PHS's green initiatives to educate and grow stronger communities by supporting urban farming and community gardens, restoring vacant land, planting trees and more.

Around the world, rooftop farms are springing up on top of skyscrapers like in Hong Kong, where urban dwellers of the modern asphalt jungle grow fresh fruit, veggies and herbs for better health and wellness and the incomparable fresh taste of homegrown food.

From walking tours to a peaceful escape from a harried day, nothing beats the simple pleasure of enjoying Mother Nature where green meets blue.

Let us know if your city is planning to add rooftop gardens and if not, why not? Cost to build and maintain? Or not enough interest?

Lynne
Garden Media Group
photos credits: NYC Rockefeller Center rooftop gardens by David Shankbone, Wikipedia Commons

Summer drought may signal fall color in northeast

The summer drought has been devastating for many gardeners.

In the northeast, the summer was blisteringly hot; the milder temperatures a welcome relief. According to an article in Science Daily, along with crisp fall air, those of us living in the northeast may be in for a blast of spectacular fall color.


The dry conditions we've encountered this summer along with a recent number of cool nights could spell a colorful fall. The article explains how fall leaf color is affected by the amount of rainfall an area gets, the number of sunny days, and cooler night temperatures. Reminds me a bit of Mickey Mouse, as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, stirring up a magic potion in a cauldron. Chemistry of sorts.

This morning, after a night of rain, I was greeted by a mix of bright yellow and orangey tone leaves splattered haphazardly on my windshield. Too early? I mused. Apparently, not.

Although it's still summer, school buses are chugging down the roads, and for many, school's already in session. Football practice is in full swing and mums are packed tightly in neat rows in front of supermarkets.

But for me, the right of passage from summer to fall is always the changing of the leaves. With the splash of color greeting me today as I walked to my car, I guess it's time to say good-bye to summer, hello to fall.

So, for the weeks we endured of temperatures that hovered near 100 degrees without rain, and plants that were lost to the drought, the promise of dazzling fall color is Mother Nature strutting her stuff, and perhaps making amends.

Send us your favorite fall color images and we'll post the best!

~Lynne
Garden Media Group
photo credit: Wikipedia Commons

A Garden Check-up

I was so happy with my container garden this year. Lusty looking, bountiful flowers perched on willowy stems framed by lush green foliage all cobbled together against a faded picket fence.

My perfect garden. Before the record setting high temperatures hit for weeks on end, my plants were thriving and showing off their glorious colors. 

But the sustained temperatures of high 90's and 100's followed by sporadic downpours that blasted my flowers like a power washer were problematic.

This morning as I went out to check on their status, I was sickened by the "sign" ... yellowing leaves and that acrid, pungent tell-tale smell of pending plant annihilation.

My white spider flower was in trouble.

I panicked. I reached into the belly of the beast of soupy potting soil too saturated to maintain its boundaries. Even though the container had drain holes, I had fallen into the trap of overwatering during this monstrous heatwave.

I went into resuscitation mode of repotting and coaxing my beautiful white spider flower to survive my watering debacle. Will she make it? Only time will tell.

My attention shifted to the dazzling berry colored Lantana that has dropped flowers, withering under the relentless heat and blistering sun. And the new Geranium hybrid has yet to put out her violet-blue blooms. Is she unhappy in her spot?  I considered moving her from her companions and giving her breathing room.

Happiest of all is a new eastern wood fern that's forming a tidy clump and should be tolerant of drought conditions. We'll see.

Avoid the pratfalls of "mothering" nature with a bit too much love and don't over-water! Or underwater.Or put too many plants in one large container that need breathing room and are competing for their piece of turf.

Let me know how your plants are handling this scorching heat. Losing veggies or flowering plants? Or are your plants thriving and you'd like to share a tip, photo and success story? Are you planting more drought-tolerant plants? We'd love to hear from you!

Meanwhile, enjoy your garden and send some positive thoughts my way for ALL my beauties to make it!
Lynne
Garden Media Group

Must see cool parks & hot gardens!

For those of you planning a trip to the east coast, be sure to visit Valley Forge National Park and Gettysburg National Military Park.

They're part of the National Park Service, US Dept of the Interior and are must-sees for the beauty and  historical preservation of our American heritage.

It's amazing to walk trails and fields over acres of land and woodlands, tour 18th and 19th century buildings and linger over artifacts from our past. And enjoy the beauty of nature.

If you love visiting spectacular gardens, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square PA is worth the visit.

Beside world-class gardens, ponds, fountains and fireworks, be sure to view the amazing light installations by Bruce Munro that are mingled throughout the acres of woodlands, fields, and in the conservatory. 

But hurry- the light installation runs until September 29th. Well worth the visit!

Share your favorite gardens and parks! And enjoy your summer!

Lynne

Garden Media Group

photo credits: National Parks: WikiCommons

Longwood images: GMG

Foraging for pawpaws and easy pickins'

Every summer, I remember my grandmother singing a folk song to my sister and me as she baked homemade cornbread and cooked grits, as we gathered around her homespun apron in her Carolina farmhouse.

It goes something like.. "Picking up paw paws puttin in your pocket... way down yonder in the paw paw patch..."  We sang with gusto but never actually tasted a paw paw!

Today, this indigenous fruit (and a favorite of Thomas Jefferson) is making a slow but steady comeback. It's rich in antioxidants and other nutrients and can be used in multiple recipes.

The pawpaw (Asiminia triloba) fruit has a tropical flavor that resembles a mix of banana, mango and pineapple (depending on your discriminating palette) with a creamy, custard-like texture similar to an avocado and a thickish skin. 

For those intrepid foragers, wild paw paws are smaller than the new cultivated varieties. You probably won't find them at grocery stores (yet) and may have to wait for these seasonal fruit to appear at select farmers markets, generally in September.

Thanks to Kentucky State University, pawpaw research is under way for developing orchard management, conducting regional trials, and improving propagation methods.

For those who prefer to forage in their own backyard, berries and small fruit trees are the ticket. From blueberries and raspberries to small citrus trees in containers, new cultivars are making it easier for all of us to enjoy fruit and berries (and pawpaws) too!

Just wish I knew all the words to that paw paw song...

Lynne
Garden Media Group
Photo credit: Dr. Kirk Pomper, Kentucky State University
Tigersandstrawberries.com

GMG's Friday Find: Tulipomania - The Musical about Flower Power!

Today's Friday Find is definitely for those in or visiting the Philadelphia area. It is a show that I would love to see and have been hearing great things about. Who doesn't want to see a musical about real Flower Power...

Tulipomania - The Musical

Before we had the subprime mortgage crisis, Holland had the Tulip bulb bubble. Six strangers in an Amsterdam hash bar recall this seedy story of love, money, and power. From the writer and composer of Café Puttanesca and Baby Case comes a new musical that gets high off our financial lows.

The Critical Acclaim...

The show explores the - very - dark side of obsession and greed, including the pain it causes not just to family fortunes but to families. On the light side, it sure was fun to hear the cast singing lines like "Never underestimate the power of a flower!" Amen!
–Philadelphia Inquirer [Read More]

"Tulipomania has a wonderful cast that sings Michael Ogborn’s innovative score so beautifully. Make the trip to see this bloomingly good new musical.”
–DC Metro Theater Arts [Read More]

"A damned entertaining new musical…glorious and memorable”
–CultureMob [Read More]

"“Very smart and savvy theater people have put this production together. It boasts great music, a knowledgeable and experienced director, first-rate singers, and an A-list design team.”
–CurtainUp

"On the day of the musical’s first preview, Facebook shares sold for $32, and they were just below $29 by the time the orchestra began the overture on opening night. You’ll pay more for a ticket to Tulipomania, and you’ll get your money’s worth.”
–Broad Street Review [Read More]


Book, Music and Lyrics by MICHAEL OGBORN
Directed by TERRENCE J. NOLEN
On the F. Otto Haas Stage
May 24 - July 1, 2012

Run Time
95 minutes (no intermission)

For tickets, call 215.922.1122
Single Tickets 
$29-$45
Groups of 10+
$15-$30

Arden Theatre Company
40 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
Recommended for 9th grade and older.

Enjoy!
-Karen
Garden Media

GMG's Friday Find: Plant up!

Today's Friday Find is perfect for anyone lacking the space they want to display all their plants. When you have no more horizontal space...go up! There is now The Flower Chain!

The flower chain is a 5 foot tall hanger for 6 commonly sized plant pots. Using the included s-hooks, a screw eye and swivel (allowing for 360˙ rotation), or some other type of hook, it hangs in a variety of locations, including the porch, balcony, patio, large window, kitchen, lobby, restaurant, or anywhere else. It is sewn together out of thick polypropylene strapping, and is very strong and durable.

It holds the pots in loops which are sized so pots will securely sit in, but not fall through them. There are 2 sizes with either 12 inch loops (accommodates 4.5 in round or 3.5 in square pots) or 14 inch loops (accommodates 5 in round or 4 in square pots). These are very standard sizes, and are readily available with a wide variety of plants growing in them at most nurseries and garden centers. 

Cost: $16


Here's how you use The Flower Chain!


You could really create some very unique visuals with unique plants! Have you used this product? Let me know! Post a picture.

-Karen
Garden Media Group

Timing is Everything in the Fight Against Stink Bugs

Out of sight should not mean out of mind. The “great awakening” is upon us; stink bugs are ready to mate and multiply! Experts are warning us that now’s the critical time to catch those stink bugs before your gardens become their buffet.

Did you know that stink bugs have been called one of the most serious agricultural and ornamental pests ever seen in the United States?It is estimated that stink bugs do millions of dollars of damage to crops and gardens each year. Their favorites are fruit and berries, juicy tomatoes and veggies.

With nationwide record-setting warmer winter and mild spring temperatures, stink bugs are showing up earlier than many anticipated.

According to Dr. George Hamilton, chair of the Department of Entomology at Rutgers University, sting bugs in the Mid-Atlantic region are appearing from one to two weeks earlier than we normally see and are in the process of moving outdoors.

Hamilton says the brown marmorated stink bugs are a particular problem with the potential to wreak havoc on agriculture and home gardens at almost every growth stage.

With the early spring and plants coming out sooner and the possibility of warmer weather extending into fall, some scientists are wondering if there’s a potential for two generations of stink bugs showing up further north than they’ve seen before.

Dr. Qing-He Zhang, PhD, lead scientist and director of research at Sterling International, has developed a safe and effective solution for home gardeners to use outdoors. The RESCUE!® Stink Bug Trap, catches adult stink bugs and the ravenous younger generations that feed on gardens and fruit bearing shrubs and trees.

And they’re on the move hitching rides across the nation.

According to United States Dept of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ ARS) in Beltsville, MD, four more states - Missouri, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas - have reported sightings of invasive stink bugs, bringing the total to more than 37 states.

The RESCUE!® Stink Bug Trap lures, captures and destroys these destructive pests using patent-pending technology that slowly releases a pheromone that’s odorless to humans and formulated to lure stink bugs from up to 30 feet. The non-toxic delivery system is similar to what Sterling has successfully used in other RESCUE!® traps for pests.

For great tips on how to beat stink bugs, visit http://www.rescue.com and its new site, [http://www.stinkbugsmackdown.com or follow RESCUE! on Facebook.

-Stacey
Garden Media Group

Of ships and artisanal cheese and chocolate

I love Brooklyn's funky, artsy, brownstones and neighborhoods, cool music and gardens. Now, add 'forerunners' in providing handcrafted artisanal food to their ample list of credits.

A recent piece in New York Magazine beautifully describes the resurgence of cottage industries in Brooklyn  where producing and selling food is seen as an old-world artisanal craft worthy of preserving.

From two brothers who have started Mast Brothers Chocolate, makers of artisanal chocolate bars to "brewers bakers and beef jerky makers", crafting artisanal food and beverages, soaps and more is a back- to-the-future glimpse into life in a simpler age, where ingredients were easily identified and pride showed in craftsmanship.

Brooklyn's artisanal 'tribe' of entrepreneurs are loosely banded together, bartering, promoting each other, dare I say... helping each other to thrive.

So what so you think of the concept? Is artisanal food here to stay or will it be driven out by the giants in the food industry and too few people demanding such a niche market.

Only you, the consumer can decide the direction this trend will take.

Meanwhile, enjoy the Mast Brothers Chocolate video and the making of their artisanal chocolate bars.

Bon appetit!

Lynne, Garden Media Group
photo: Italian crafted cheese,Wikimedia Commons

Urban Gardens: A "right" for everyone?

There is no doubt that urban gardens are growing on us. But should it be a "right" accorded to everyone who wants and NEEDS to grow fresh food? Free community gardens?

Perhaps the desire is simply seeking the sheer pleasure of digging in rich earth and connecting with friends, neighbors and building bridges within communities. Or finding peace and contentment.

From Oakland to Brooklyn, communities are growing gardens in plots of empty land, transforming food deserts into colorful green spaces. Young and old work side-by-side, digging in the earth, planting, learning, experimenting, and sharing the joy of gardening.

For many children who live in blighted urban areas, and don't have access to fresh produce on a daily basis, growing gardens and tasting fresh picked lettuce and tomatoes they planted can be a life-changing experience.

"People are realizing that greenspace and the environmental services that plants provide can be just as important to the overall health of a metropolis as its infrastructure. The interest and demand for public growing space is growing across the country. Advocates say that community gardens provide new opportunities for residents to learn and connect with each other and the city around them, while agencies and city planners see them as a way to beat back the entropy that has come to define declining cities, bringing a welcome respite from the concrete jungle."- text, Enrique Gili, MNN 

And so I posit again: Is access to public growing space a "right"? A natural solution to providing fresh, wholesome produce that's accessible and affordable for EVERYONE?  A green oasis of beauty and sustainablity that nourishes the belly as it soothes the soul?  

Share your thoughts- love to hear from you.

Check out these 12 urban gardens; they're inspiring odes to ingenuity and creativity: Mother Nature Network (MNN)

Lynne, Garden Media Group
photo: West End Community Gardens, West Chester, PA

A visit to world-class gardens in our backyard

Last Friday, as the Memorial Day holiday approached, Stacey, Suzi and I toured two spectacular gardens along with members of our regional Garden Writers Association. Simply amazing.

First up, a tour of A.I. Du Pont's famous Nemours Mansion and Gardens, that included a fascinating glimpse into the private world of Albert I. Du Pont, the inventor, businessman, philanthropist and visionary.

We toured the grounds leading up to the "manse" that looked more like the palace Versailles than your typical LA celebrity "mega- mansion." Inside was a potpourri of collectibles, antiques and rooms meticulously decorated, a theatre and bowling alley, and even an ice cream making machine decades ahead of the times.

The gardens included a massive Reflecting Pool, Maze Gardens, a Colonnade, Sunken Gardens, a Rock Garden and so much more that words don't do it justice.

I took a few images of the magnificent statue adorning a fountain and garden vistas made for a king.

Note to self: MUST return-- soon!

Before noon, we headed for Longwood Gardens and enjoyed a scrumptious feast, listened to speakers and headed outdoors. There were three separate tours, we chose the gardens expertly unveiled.

I lingered over the students' gardens. Students come throughout the U.S. and the world to learn from the best. Here's a snippet of a few of their gardens I truly loved!


Can't wait to go back to both. Gardens are the world's unifiers; they soothe the soul and bring us joy.
Share your favorite garden - we'd love to hear from you!

Lynne
Garden Media Group
photos: Nemours Mansion and Gardens and Longwood Gardens

Mother's Day gifts that keep on giving!

Here at the Garden Media Group we’re sharing great last minute Mother’s Day gifts that are practical, long-lasting and stylish. Live plants for Mother’s Day are gifts that keep on giving and will add beauty to her home and garden.

1) Orchids. Orchids are exotic plants with stunning flowers that are surprisingly affordable and simple to grow. These gorgeous flowering plants keep blooming for months with little to no effort long after her special day is past. Look for Phalaenopsis orchids, which are the most popular and come in a variety of colors in decorative containers, for under $20 at your local retailer. For more tips on caring for your orchid, visit  http://www.orchidsareeasy.com/

2) Tropical plants. Surprise mom with an instant backyard make-over. New tropical plant varieties are ready to place in any sunny spot for immediate color. Carefree desert roses from Hines Growers like Adenium Kissable Pink, Red and Blush have bright, colorful flowers and a unique bonsai-like appearance. Sun-loving, Bahama Bay hibiscus ‘Amazon Queen’ has ruffled swirls of orangey blooms that look great in the landscape or on decks, patios and porches.
For more information on the many varieties of tropical plants and plant care, visit http://www.hinesgrowers.com/

3) Herbs. Mom will love a living herb plant that’s a meaningful, sustainable gift, no matter what variety you choose. Herbs are ideal choices for their low maintenance, beauty and versatility as both a functional flavor in the kitchen or aromatic scent to enjoy. Pamper mom with an easy to prepare homemade herbal facial scrub that’s great for her skin and smells citrusy.

For great herb choices visit The Growers Exchange http://www.thegrowers-exchange.com/.

Here's our own gardening expert and garden/ green living trendspotter, Suzi McCoy's favorite homemade facial scrub made from wonderful herbs and citrus fruit:

Juice from 1/2 ruby red grapefruit

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (chopped)

2 cups of white sugar

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

(add pulp of grapefruit for color)

Mix all the ingredients until blended well and add enough sugar to form a thick paste. Put into a pretty jar, tie with a pretty ribbon and voila! Let us know how this works for you!

And to all you moms and your special mom, this Sunday, May 12th, have a wonderful Mothers Day from all of us at the Garden Media Group.

~Lynne, GMG

Growing Vertical!

Here at the Garden Media Group, we've been sharing the growing trend in vertical gardening for the past couple of years. Last year, the Chelsea Flower Show in the U.K. showcased a steely vertical garden that soared skyward, a monolith that married high tech engineering with the king of green.

The gold-medal winning B&Q Garden was an enormous structure and the largest towering garden ever displayed at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Skyfarming has arrived. From one wall brimming with plants, the other with solar panels powering an elaborate hydroponic watering system, the ingenious design looks more at home on Battlestar Galactica than in cities. The glass high-rise was full of window boxes brimming with vegetables and plants. Click here to view the video.

Notably, what caught my eye was the 'insect hotel' designed by school children. Pure genius.

The designers' vision is to encourage people and communities to "develop more sustainable food growing spaces and enhance urban greening." In my opinion they succeeded.

Do you think it's time we really make a concerted effort to invest in skyfarming and vertical green towers throughout our cities and even sleepy communities? Let us know!

Lynne, Garden Media Group
photo credit: theguardian.co.uk

A "Royal" kitchen garden

For those of you fortunate to travel to England this year in May, be sure to check out the RHS Chelsea Flower Show from May 22-26th. The display gardens look like works of art and inspirational guide posts  to help you transform your patch of earth into a masterpiece.

Among the award-winning exhibits from last year's show, the M &G Garden stands out as a "modern take on a traditional garden."

To watch a video of this garden, click here...

It could be the playful and artful blend of ornamentals and edible plants, with French lavender underplanting potted citrus tees. Or perhaps it's the graceful cabbages and beans happily mingling with clematis and roses. No matter. Pure delight.

Whatever your fruit, veggie, flower or herb preference, this garden is a working model for those of us not so inclined to add "Royal" to our names (as Royals are apt to do when they visit Chelsea.)

Whether you have a large garden or a small balcony garden, add  herbs for color, fragrace, health and beauty. Plus, they fit nicely in any size container, border or space. Tuck in some veggies and adorn with berries and flowers and voila!- you'll have a garden that's fit for a King or Queen!

Enjoy!
Lynne, Garden Media Group

GMG's Friday Find: Fabulous Floral Furniture

This week is all about bringing the flowers indoors and never having to worry about them wilting. We all have an appreciation of the beauty they provide us outdoors but their life is limited once we put them in a vase.

The Floral Art Home Collection by Jennifer McGarigle is aiming to change the way we use flowers in our furnishings. Her line ranges from furniture, vases, art & accessories. There is a product for every taste.

 

About their Home Collection from their website...

At Floral Art we're surrounded everyday by the allure and beauty of fresh flowers. It's an experience that's inspired our signature aesthetic, clean, modern lines infused with imagination and elegance. Now, Floral Art Home brings this compelling sensibility to a new line of home furnishings -- the Floral Art Home Collection by Jennifer McGarigle. With the essence of nature reflected in each piece, we hope the Floral Art Home Collection enhances your everyday life with the radiance and enchantment that surrounds us in ours.

Check out the short video below about Jennifer and her inspiration!

How gorgeous are those chairs! You can get one in almost every flower!

-Karen
Garden Media Group