A Bit of This, A Touch of That October 21, 2009
I’m once again taking a floral design class, and I’m also finishing up my flower growing season. As a result, I’m getting quite an odd collection of design samples to show you. Rather than put up a bunch of snippets, I thought I’d put a collection of them together in one post. Forgive me if this seems a tad unorganized.
autumn mille de fleur
hydrangea & grapevine wreath
The Pie Patch October 13, 2009
Quite some time ago, I put up a little post about getting a new community garden and my own plot in it started this past spring. I dubbed it The Pie Patch because I planted mostly things that would go well in a pie: currents, loingonberries, rhubarb, and gooseberries. I realized the other day that I hadn’t taken a picture of the plot in awhile and wanted some to document growth after the first season. You’ll notice the rhubarb is on a rampage! I’m going to give the young shrubs some extra TLC later this fall to get them through their first winter by putting a burlap windbreak around them and mulching with a thick layer of leaves. Can’t wait to start baking those pies next year!
Going, Going…Gone? October 13, 2009
The last few days of the 2009 growing season are really eeking away. The weather has been chilly and generally damp since September and I was certain we’d get an early frost. Our expected frost date in this area is October 15th. We’re just about there, and truth be told, I’m ready for it. My garden was just plain disappointing this season. I’m not beating myself up about it. I’m just ready to put it to bed and forget all the heartbreak. Usually I scurry around putting blankets on things I want to protect from the first frost and squeeze out a week or two more of growing, but this year I’m unexpectedly anxious to get to ripping out the annuals and cutting back the perennials so I can focus on planning for next year.
Click “more” to see a series of photos that show the progression of my garden’s growth this season.
ASCFG National Conference October 13, 2009
Last week I attended the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers annual national conference on Long Island, New York. What an amazing treat it turned out to be, and I really could go on forever about the passionate attendees, the knowledgable speakers, the spot-on demonstrations, the beautiful tours, the kindred connections that were made, and generally how generous and energetic this whole organization is. I’ll refrain and keep it to this: if you are someone who is interested in starting or already have a small cut flower production going (“farm” may be too elaborate for some of you and that’s okay) with the idea to make some money at it, you need to join ASCFG and you should make it a priority to attend next year’s conference and perhaps some of their regional meetings as well. The exchange of ideas and information is invaluable, not to mention a heck of a lot of fun!
A Visit to Landcraft October 13, 2009
Delightful Landcraft Environmental is both a personal garden for entertaining and a showcase for the wholesale nursery next door run by its creators, Dennis Schrader and Bill Smith. Dennis was kind enough to show a group of us from the ASCFG around and to answer my volley of excited questions about his rather exotic combinations of plants throughout the masterful garden stuffed to the gills with details, destinations, hideaways, rustic art and sumptuious textures. It’s well worth a visit!
PASA Dinner @ Longwood October 12, 2009
This past Saturday I had the privilege once again of doing the floral work for the PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) fundraiser dinner at Longwood Gardens. This event is quite special, featuring ingredients sourced from local farms and served by the outstanding catering staff at Longwood in the Main Conservatory just as the autumn sun is setting. This year I not only arranged all the flowers and created custom name tags, but I also grew/picked all the flowers myself. What fun to be a featured grower at this delightful dinner!
Snazzy Succulents October 2, 2009
So I’ve been playing around with planting succulents in some antique store finds to make them real focal points in the house now that winter is coming and my darlings can’t stay outside any longer. I am also planning to give some of these as gifts for the holidays. Wouldn’t these also make classy centerpieces when grouped on a table at a formal dinner or wedding recption?
Foray into Fall September 24, 2009
Plant List: Solidago rugosa, Brassica oleracea, Chrysanthemum ‘Bold Gretchen’, Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
By far, autumn holds my favorite color combinations of all the seasons. And Cucurbits, be it jack-o-lanterns, birdhouse gourds, or some tasty sweet winter squash, are dear old friends that bring me new surprises each year with their textures, shapes and hues. As someone who loves textural and earthy designs, fall was made to be my playground. Putting together a container planting for this season is always a treat. This year I have the most amazing pumpkin-hued mums to use, grown by my friend, Emma. They are the come-hither of the container at the moment, but once that Solidago (golden rod) opens up its arching yellow blossoms, there’s no way passersby can resist stopping to take it all in. The smoky purples of the ornamental cabbage adds a nice heft to the design, both in tone and texture. That Lysimachia (creeping jenny) that’s trailing from the pot has been an all-purpose all-season “spiller”, having started in my spring design as a relatively small bunch of transplants. What a great versatile plant, though best contained as it is here since it’s a noxious weed if left loose!
When I was shopping for my two ornamental cabbage plants, I found these two designs at the garden center to be inspirational. As another harbinger of fall, the Cucurbit display is once again out at Longwood Gardens. I need to trek back over to get more photos, but this one particular decorative gourd really got my attention so I took a quick snapshot. Isn’t it awesome? I love warty and green (or blue) Cucurbits!
