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Color Theory: 10 Perfect Plant Combinations for Autumn

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“I don’t do frilly,” says curator Diane Schaub. We are standing under the shade of an old magnolia in Central Park’s English Garden, one of three formal gardens in the Conservatory Garden collection near the northwest corner of the park.

Photography by Marie Viljoen for Gardenista.

Lancelot coleus Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

“This is as frilly as I go,” she clarifies, indicating a velvet-leafed plant with burgundy leaves, beside the bluestone path. The plant in question is a Solenostemon (formerly classified as Coleus) and the cultivar is ‘Lancelot.’ 

Lancelot coleus Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Solenostemon 'Lancelot' (paired with Salvia 'Paul') belongs to a crew of leafy annuals whose impact is felt dramatically in this garden, where the seasonal spectacle owes a great deal to plants whose interest lies in their foliage.

10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: If you thought leaves were boring, think again. Solenostemon ‘Purple Prince’, black-leafed Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’, and Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria Blue’.

10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Elephant-eared Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic’, Solenostemon ‘Redhead’, and Agastache cana ‘Heather Queen’.

Schaub, who earned a diploma from the New York Botanical Garden's School of Professional Horticulture, has been the Conservatory Garden’s curator for 20 years. And while she does not do frilly, she does do color and texture, breathtakingly well. She has a painter’s eye for composition and an architect’s instinct for structural detail.

10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: A bed of Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, Salvia x ‘Indigo Spires’, the leafy and lilac-striped Strobilanthes dyeranus, and elephant-eared Colocasia esculenta ‘Blue Hawaii’. The latter "makes the whole composition work,” says Schaub. Dark purple Pennisetum ‘Vertigo’ is in the background. 

10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: The English Garden is arranged in beds radiating from a central pond overhung by the largest crabapple tree in Central Park, leaves now turning yellow. Designed by Betty Sprout in 1937, by the 1970's this part of the park was considered one of the most dangerous places in New York City.  In 1980, the Central Park Conservancy was formed in response to the neglect the park had suffered in the previous two decades. Its new director, Elizabeth Rogers, earmarked the Conservatory Gardens for renovation. 

10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Lynden Miller, now a legendary public garden designer, but then a painter and home gardener, was asked by Rogers to revisit the original plans. She added defining low evergreen hedges (Ilex crenata, Eunonymous ‘Manhattan’ and Berberis julianae) to allow intimate niches within beds, so that “you arrive in a different and lovely place” every few paces, explained Schaub. Miller was also vehement in her advocacy for a maintenance budget, something many public plantings sorely and visibly lack. Gardens are work, and this seasonal showcase is not low maintenance. The Conservatory Garden’s staff of six, with the help of 20 regular volunteers, is kept busy. 

10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Within the backbone of green hedging, shrubs, and perennials, the beds are punctuated occasionally by Miller’s trademark: Berberis thunbergii balls. The manicured shape helps prevent the invasive shrub from spreading, by preventing fruit-set.

 10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Annuals dominate the interior beds, while the outer arcs are filled with perennials and shrubs. Every winter Schaub (also a fine art major at City College of New York) sketches by hand her new plans for spring and summer schemes. Orders for thousands of summer annuals and perennials must be placed by October of the previous year for May planting, so growers on Long Island have time to propagate enough stock. On planting day, volunteers line up early to carry flats of plants to their assigned positions. Each bed has its own map. 

 10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: The red Zinnia ‘Benary's Giant Deep Red’ pops out in a border with feathery gray Centaurea gymnocarpa, lime green Zinnia elegans ‘Envy’, and the chocolate-y backdrop of Pennisetum ‘Vertigo’. In the background, yellow Rudbeckia laciniata and the silver-leafed sunflowers, Helianthus argophyllus, draw the visitor farther in. 

 10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: A lesson in warmth. From front to back: a yellow variegated Lantana, Arctotis x ‘Flame’, Agastache mexicana ‘Acapulco Orange’, with tall Asclepias curassavica ‘Silky Gold’ behind it, a sprawling sweet potato - Ipomea batata ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’, and a mass of lime green Solenostemon ‘Dappled Apple’ in the background.

 10 Perfect Plant Combinations Central Park Conservatory Garden Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: “Pinks are hard," says Schaub, discussing color pairing: ”Some are bluish; some are orange. You can really err.” Here, the blue pinks are played off against two stalwarts that are used often in these beds: glaucus Melianthus major, in the foreground, and fuchsia-striped Perilla ‘Magilla’. Tall pink Cleome ‘Clio’ brushes against Salvia ‘Waverly’ with silvery cardoon (Cynara cardunculus), hot pink Gomphrena ‘Fireworks’, and lime Ipomea batata ‘Dwarf Marguerite’, which keeps the composition fresh.  

chasmanthium ; Gardenista ; Central Park

Above: Pale pink Verbena ‘Lavender Cascade’ does just that over the flagstones, under the tresses of sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) and the sky blue confetti of Browallia americana.

melampodium ; Gardenista ; Central Park

Above: The small yellow flowers of Melampodium ‘Son of Garth’ cluster around the intense blue of Salvia x ‘Indigo Spires’. Solenostemon ‘Lancelot’ and sweet potato (Ipomea batata ‘Dwarf Marguerite’, again) create volume. 

Above: Below a hedge of clipped Ilex crenata Halloween-ready Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’ anchors a corner where purple Adenandra alternifolia sprawls between supporting mounds of lime Solenostemon ‘Dappled Apple’ and a variegated and stiff-leafed Plectranthus forsteri ‘Green on Green’. The spires of Salvia guaranitica ‘Royal Purple' loosen the composition in the background. 

hummingbird ; Central Park ; Gardenista

Above: Ruby-throated hummingbirds visit the nectaries of Cuphea platycentra ‘David Verity’ as well as a collection of sweetly tubular Salvias, Agastaches and Leonotis, which must put the English Garden firmly on the hummingbirds’ migratory map. 

chrysalis ; Gardenista ; Central Park

Above: No pesticides are used in this garden, though “I do take a hose to aphids,” says the curator, grimly. A variety of milkweeds lures monarch butterflies to the garden. Their larvae feed on the bitter leaves of the genus Asclepias. On a recent visit, the pale green chrysalis of a monarch hung suspended in gold thread from a blade of purple Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'; it's the most appropriate garden art I have ever seen.

Gardenista ; English garden ; Central Park

Above: If you are within reach of New York City, visit this early fall iteration of the English Garden before the 21st of October, when all the summer annuals will be removed, and tens of thousands of spring bulbs will be planted for next spring. 

And if you are a little late, walk north to the French Garden where the Korean chrysanthemums on display might just blow your mind.

But that is another story.

For more gardens to admire, journey to Scampston Hall by Dutch Master Piet Oudolf and Cape Town for A Study in Green with Franchesca Watson. You can also spend an entire afternoon exploring all our Garden Visits

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DIY: A Tiny Fall Garden in a Window Box

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I have a serious case of window box envy. The 4-inch-wide window box I call my garden doesn't afford a lot room for plants, not to mention the thrillers, spillers, and fillers that are supposed to be the mainstays of any window box worth its salt. What's a girl with a tiny window box to do? Fake it. Here's how:

Photographs by Erin Boyle.

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: I started by cleaning out the dirt from my summer box. Curious about whether you can reuse potting soil? You can! But mine had gotten a little buggy over the course of the summer, and I wanted to give my fall garden the opportunity to thrive sans pests. 

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: I chose three 4-inch ornamental kale plants from the farmers' market. Farmers' markets and farm stands are likely the best sources for ornamental kale this time of year. If you'd like to plant your own for next year, a packet of Ornamental Kale Seeds (Brassica oleracea) is $4.99 from Outdoor Pride.

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: After I planted the kale in the window box, there wasn't a whole lot of room for anything else. I decided to take a page from my winter window box and stick dried grasses and herbs into the soil to fill in the bare spots.

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: I trekked to my favorite neighborhood flower shop and came home with a selection of grasses that I allowed to dry upside down for a few days before adding them to the box. If you have the advantage of the great outdoors, take a pair of scissors on a long walk and come home with a fistful of foraged grasses.

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: I nestled dried mountain mint—which has the added benefit of smelling delicious—between the kale plants. 

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: Next, I allowed some of the golden grasses to spill over the edge of the planter. 

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: I worked with a pair of scissors nearby so I could trim and tweak as I worked. 

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: Behind the kale and mountain mint, I stuck tall stems of Little bluestem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) to achieve height. Any tall grass would work as well. 

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: Tucked into the same box together, the goldens and browns of the dried grasses play off the brighter, deeper colors of the ornamental kale.

an autumnal window box for small spaces | gardenista

Above: After some city foraging, I added purple seed pods that had dropped from the honey locust trees along the Brooklyn Heights promenade.

For more tiny garden inspiration, see all of our posts on Window Boxes. Inspired by dried flowers? See Justine's Dried Hydrangea Garlands.

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Outbuilding of the Week: A Woodshed Transformed, by StudioErrante in Italy

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Behind a house in a village in northwestern Italy, designers Sarah Becchio and Paolo Borghino of StudioErrante Architetture discovered a tiny, ramshackle shed with a useful purpose and a long history.

The shed, situated in a shared courtyard behind their clients' house, had for years been used to store firewood that the owners used in their indoor fireplace. The shed had ventilated walls, which made wood dry faster. But the structure was in terrible shape. What to do?

StudioErrante came up with a plan to rebuild the shed and add some features to it that would be useful not only to the owners, but also to neighbors whose property abutted the courtyard. The new building has a charred wood and concrete facade to honor its rustic past. The indoor space doubles as a potting shed, with shelves, a sink, and a sunny window. And at one end of the structure is open-air seating protected by a roof overhang where neighbors—and the neighborhood dogs—can sit and sun themselves. 

Photography via StudioErrante Architetture.

Before

Before andAfter Garden Shed Italy ; Gardenista

Above: Before renovation, firewood was stored in open bays.

After

outbuilding-firewood-shed-italy-studioerrante-gardenista

Above: Planks charred over an open fire cover the top half of the facade.

outbuilding-firewood-shed-italy-studioerrante-gardenista

Above: The rough texture of the building's previous facade was left exposed and incorporated into the design of the new shed.

outbuilding-firewood-shed-italy-studioerrante-gardenista

Above: Inside, a sink, shelving, and sunlight.

outbuilding-firewood-shed-italy-studioerrante-gardenista

Above: In the evenings, neighbors stop by for a chat, welcomed by a see-through gate.

  outbuilding-firewood-shed-italy-studioerrante-gardenista

Above: At one end of the cabin is an open air seating space, clad in laminated wood.

outbuilding-firewood-shed-italy-studioerrante-gardenista

Above: The open air seating is at a comfortable height for nearly everyone in the neighborhood.

outbuilding-firewood-shed-italy-studioerrante-gardenista

Above: Concrete and wood are the two materials used to create the new outbuilding.

For more ways to use concrete in the garden, see 10 Genius Garden Hacks with Concrete Blocks and Hardscaping 101: Concrete Pavers.

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Garden-to-Table Recipe: Spicy Spinach from 66 Square Feet

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I used to grow vegetables in all-day sun. Then we moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan, and shade happened. On our new terrace in Harlem I had no idea, exactly, how much light we would have, come the longest days of summer.

But when we signed the lease last fall, the southern sun was already below the tall building just in front of us.

Photography by Marie Viljoen for Gardenista.

Malabar spinach fruit black Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: It turned out that my Harlem terrace received only four hours of direct sun.  With less sun, my edible plant palette shrank. Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers were no longer an option, but I had hopes for leafy greens. Then one day last spring a chance encounter at the Union Square greenmarket made all the difference.

Malabar spinach Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Small pots planted with fleshy, glossy leaves caught my eye. Malabar spinach, said the label. It was May, that dangerous time of year when anything seems possible.  I bought them, I planted them, and only then I did I do the research. (I know—but whoever said that a good gardener must be patient has it all wrong. Sometimes "Do first, ask later" lands you exactly where you need to be.)

Malabar spinach vine Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Malabar spinach has a long list of common names. Slippery vegetable, in Chinese. Amunututu in Yoruba (Nigeria). Ceylon spinach: modern Sri Lanka is the teardrop-shaped island at the tip of India. Malabar refers to a region in southwest India. 

Common names are clues, indicating how a plant is used and where it occurs - in the tropics, in this case.  Tropical plants are often used as houseplants in temperate regions: they are accustomed to warm temperatures and indirect light, growing naturally with competitors for sun. My new vining vegetable was no exception, which was good news for my Harlem garden.

Malabar spinach teepee Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: For a few weeks in May my seedlings just sat there at the base of their optimistic bamboo teepees, sulking. Then I went away, and when I returned in early July, their green stems, like young pythons, had coiled half way up their 6-foot supports. In another two weeks they had topped out and were leaning into space. I folded them down and made them climb up again. They hissed. I locked the terrace door.

Malabar spinach leaves Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Botanically speaking, Malabar spinach has nothing to do with what most Americans call spinach. Its proper name is Basella alba (or Basella rubra, which has red stems). Spinach is Spinacia oleracea. Another big difference is that while regular spinach loves cool, even cold, weather, Malabar spinach will only wake up and grow when the days are warm, making it an ideal leafy green alternative for summer. And it is packed with vitamins.

Malabar spinach Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: Now, in these waning days of the growing year, my vines have reached their peak and are so prolific and fat that we eat them a couple of times a week.  Their ornamental value was very strong – with an unexpected bonus of glossy black fruit (which taste watery) - and I was reluctant to harvest them hard, sooner. But I know that when the first hard frost comes it will all be over. So now I make like a bunny and munch.

Malabar spinach salmon Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: The raw leaves make perfect wraps and edible plates for fillings and toppings, like super-fresh wild salmon, tossed at the last minute with quick-pickled celery hearts, lime juice, micro-planed ginger and lime zest.  When I make Southeast Asian flavor bundles the leaves are perfect for folding around the fragrant, dripping filling and offer an excellent crunch, their slippery juice cooling a hot mouthful.

Malabar spinach Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Above: When it came to cooking, at first I looked to India, tropical Asia and Africa for culinary inspiration.  Leafy-beany stews with tomato and peanuts speak to West Africa, and the Chinese slippery vegetable works very well with soy, ginger and pinches of sugar. Indian saag was a natural choice. Taking inspiration from that complex spice mix, I riffed on an Israeli theme, sautéing the leaves and tendrils with shawarma spices. Delicious. 

Malabar spinach Marie Viljoen ; Gardenista

Shawarma  Greens, for Two

These are excellent warm, eaten with a dollop of natural yogurt.

Spices

Bottle the leftover mixture in an airtight jar. It last many months and is divine with slow-roast lamb, chicken, or stirred into yogurt for dips. 

  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • tablespoon sumac
  • teaspoon black peppercorns
  • teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 star anise
  • 5 cloves
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds 
  • ½ whole nutmeg, grated
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika

Whizz everything in a spice grinder till fine. Bottle at once.

Greens

  • tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 4 ounces Malabar spinach leaves and young stalks
  • tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon schwarma spices
  • Salt, a pinch

In a pan over medium heat warm the oil, and add the garlic. Sauté until translucent, then add the spinach. Raise heat to high and cook for a couple of minutes. Turn, and add the lemon juice and spices. Continue to cook until the leaves have collapsed but have not lost their bright color. Serve at once.

To grow your own, start seeds indoors, six weeks before the last frost, or sow outside when night time temperatures stay above 50 degrees F. Or buy rooted cuttings from your local farmers market and nursery. 

See Marie's blog 66 Square Feet (Plus) for more of her gardening adventures. And tour her garden in 66 Square Feet (Plus) on a Harlem Terrace.

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Weekend Getaway: A New England Road Trip for Peak Fall Foliage

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This is the peak weekend to see colorful fall foliage in New England. Here's a 50-mile loop for a weekend road trip, winding through quaint New Hampshire towns and along crimson country roads, to please both leaf peepers and garden lovers.

Starting in Holderness, the itinerary will take you through Sandwich, Tamworth, Moltonbourough, and back to Holderness, where you can stay the night at Rockywold-Deephaven, a centuries-old family camp on Squam Lake. 

In addition to the stops listed here, I'd also recommend stopping in at Squam Lake Market Place in Holderness for sandwiches and baked goods, and getting coffee at The Barking Dog Cafe, in the town of Sandwich, to fuel your trip. Finally, if you have a bit more time to explore, make your way to Plymouth, which isn't on the loop, but is definitely worth a stop for its charming Main Street, antique shops, and the picturesque Holderness School campus nestled in the foothills of the White Mountains.

Photography by Christine Chitnis for Gardenista.

Rockywold Deephaven Camps Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: At Rockywold-Deephaven Camps, awaken to the haunting call of loons, enjoy the solitude of your own dock, take a hike up Rattlesnake Mountain, or enjoy an evening kayak ride.

Rattlesnake Mountain Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: The view from the top of Rattlesnake Mountain in Holderness.

Sandwich Creamery Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: For tasty, locally made cheese and ice cream, stop at The Sandwich Creamery, where you can grab a serving of ice cream or a block of cheese on the honor system. Bring cash to pay for your treats.

Chickens in the garden Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: Chickens abound at The Community School, a grades 6-12 alternative school and farmstand in Tamworth. Stop by for a you-cut flower experience and organically grown produce, and learn more about the progressive school while you're there.

Tamworth Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: Tamworth is a charming town, with all the buildings and homes done in the same shade of white with green shutters and doors, which makes for a picturesque experience.  Located in town is the Tamworth Lyceum- a great shop where you can grab a coffee, breakfast, and a host of artisan liqueur, as well as a carefully curated selection of gifts. 

The Tamworth Lyceum Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: A few doors down from the Lyceum, the Tamworth Distilling and Mercantile will open its doors in winter 2014, and produce farm-to-bottle spirits.

Remick Farm Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: Remick Farm offers sweeping views of Tamworth and the surrounding area.

Garlic Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: Garlic for sale at the Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm in Tamworth.

The Glass Knob Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: Antique mason jars for displaying wildflower bouquets; for sale at The Glass Knob in Moultonborough.

Bike Christine Chitnis Gardenista

Above: A vintage bike for sale at The Shoppes at Red Hill in Moultonborough, with a basket perfect for wildflowers or a stray pot or two.

Have a case of wanderlust? Plan your escape with recommendations from our Destinations section. For more outdoor adventures, consider going on one of our Favorite Hikes

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Trending on Remodelista: The DIY Bathroom

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While we’ve been enforcing strict bans on strewn shoes in the mudroom, the editors over at Remodelista have spent the week making over the bath for calming soaks. They've found DIY Bath fixtures, fittings, and subway tile for every budget:  

Sink ; washroom ; bathroom ; Remodelista ; farmhouse

Above: Designers are bringing back the Alape bucket sink, a humble and affordable enamel sink under $300. Julie has where-to-buy intel in this week’s Design Sleuth.

Remodelista ; bathroom ; toilet paper holder

Above: Functional, but seldom attractive, the toilet-paper holder goes glam in Alexa’s 10 Easy Pieces

Gardenista ; sink ; organization ; diy ; Remodelista
 

Remodelista ; bathroom ; budget ; reader rehab

Above: From “heebie-jeebies” to “gem,” Meredith details how a reader accomplished a Rehab Bath Remodel on a modest $5,500 budget.

Gardenista ; Remodelista ; bath  

Above: Go on a tour of 10 Inspirational Bath Remodels, curated by Julie. An African antelope presides over the tub of Jonathan King, blogger at 47 Park Avenue.

For more inspiration, sources, and solutions to tackle your remodel, go to The DIY Bath on Remodelista. 

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Current Obsessions: Real Estate Envy

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We're taking up a collection to buy Reneé Zellweger's Connecticut farmhouse (comes with party barn), and we only need $1.6 million. Everybody send in a dollar:

Reneé Zellweger home for sale | Gardenista

Above: Photograph courtesy of The Neo Traditionalist

Here are more things we're obsessed with lately:

Dolly and Oatmeal Kobocha Squash Soup | Gardenista

Rain Garden in Pennsylvania, Dried Hydrangea | Gardenista

  • Above: In a suburb of north Philadelphia, a lush rain garden—with more than 50 species of plants—has us envious here in drought-afflicted California. Photograph by Rob Cardillo. 
  • Weekend read: Places Journal, the magazine for the thinking landscaper, has unveiled a gorgeous new redesign. 
  • San Francisco, get your flower crowns ready in time for the Treasure Island Music Festival. 

How to become a floral designer via Frolic Blog | Gardenista

Instagram and Pinterest Pick of the Week:

Gardenista Instagram & Pinterest Pick of the Week: Botany Shope in London | Gardenista

For more from this week on Gardenista, take a look at our DIY Mudroom issue and head over to Remodelista to peek a week of DIY Bathrooms

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Air Plants 101: How to ID a Tillandsia

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No two air plants look identical. And most varieties aren't labeled at the plant store. So how do you tell them apart? 

It's a tougher job than you might think. These aerophytes, which are native to the warm climates of Central America and Mexico, have been cross-bred to create countless hybrids over the years.

"You are never really going to see two air plants that are identical," says Ryan Lesseig, co-owner with his wife Meriel of Tampa, FL-based Air Plant Design Studio. "The reason is that air plants were very popular back in the '70s, and what happened was people focused on breeding new types, so now you have a lot of crosses."

In fact, says Lesseig, two plants of the same species may look completely different, depending on factors such as climate. "The same type will look different in Florida and in California," he said. 

Lesseig, who raises and sells online about 50 varieties of air plants, was able to ID some of mine. For others, he can identify a cousin or two:

  types of tillandsia l Gardenista

Above: Photograph by John Merkl for Gardenista.

1. Tillandsia bulbosa

But which bulbosa? Its smaller companion (Shown Upper Left) is a Butzii, says Lesseig, adding that No. 1 looks "like a cross between a butzii and a Caput Medusae."  A Butzii and a Caput Medusae are $4.99 apiece at Air Plant Design Studio.

The trick to making any bulbous variety of air plant happy is to shake the droplets out of its bulb after watering so it doesn't rot.

2. Velutina

Lesseig at first said he was stumped by this air plant; later he emailed me that "it looks like a Velutina." What do you think? Does it look like this 4-Inch Tillandsia Velutina  ($2.95 from CTS Airplants via Etsy)?

3. Brachycaulos

With its stiff, dagger leaves, "that one looks like a Brachycaulos x Abdita," says Lesseig. It's a hybrid of the brachycaulos species native to Mexico and Central America.

4. Ionantha

Easy one to ID, says Lesseig: "It's an Ionantha Guatamala." It is $3.25 at Air Plant Design Studio.

The Ionantha varieties are particularly popular because they're hardy and low-maintenance. (After a year in my care, mine still look perfectly healthy and happy despite benign neglect.)

5. Streptophylla

Native to the dry climates of Mexico and Central America, Streptophylla is easy to ID because as it gets bigger, its leaves start to curl into ringlets. Says Lesseig, "Those brown-tipped leaves start to appear as it gets older."

Misting will help keep the leaves green.

6. Concolor

Hard to tell for sure, but..."looks like a Concolor," says Lesseig. (Compare it to this 3-4 Inch Tillandsia Concolor, available from CTS Airplants via Etsy.)

Wondering how to keep an air plant happy? See Gardening 101: How to Water an Air Plant.

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Weekend Forager: Are Those Mushrooms Edible?

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Handing out life and death in equal measure, the fungi family is a fascinating one. So an invitation to forage for mushrooms in Sussex is accepted with alacrity, especially after noting the words "expert advice."

The small number of mushrooms that we know about range from good to eat to deadly poisonous. In between there is edible (not always worth the trouble) and poisonous (will make you ill). The vast majority of mushrooms are mysterious to us and likely to remain untested. The case of the Brown Rollrim highlights our lack of knowledge: it has been moved over from "edible" to "deadly" after it was discovered that its toxins were cumulative and that it would get you in the end.

October is the best month for foraging: mushrooms and toadstools spring up after rain, when the ground is still warm. We set off on a clear Sunday morning after being told that after the driest September on record we'd be lucky to find anything at all. British weather is always breaking records, so nobody takes much notice.

Photography by Jim Powell for Gardenista.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: Colorfully named mushrooms shown here include: Deceivers, Wood Hedgehogs, King Alfred Cakes, Waxcaps and red Brittlegill.

Mushroom enthusiasts are not led by their desire to eat; greed is more likely to lead one astray. It's all about finding and learning: "It's a slow process," says Anne Yarrow, our expert, "and a very enjoyable one."

A Sussex trug is ideal when foraging, its rigid, flat base keeps different species separate. Always take a guide book: we took Roger Phillips' clearly illustrated Mushrooms

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: This part of England is densely wooded, with wooden houses reminiscent of New England. East Sussex is part of the High Weald, a landscape of hills and trees (weald being an ancient word for woodland). It's a toadstool's paradise.

The forest surrounds our meeting place, the Ashdown Park Hotel. The whole area was a Norman hunting ground, and villages and estates still have the atmosphere of clearings in the woods. The woods are inviting.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: The first edible species of mushrooms to be spotted is this colony of puffballs growing on a log. They are a little past their best: they should be solid white for eating. The window of opportunity is small; when the spores begin to ripen, slime soon follows. Yes, they are officially "edible," but like an old lettuce in the back of the refrigerator, they are best avoided.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: Puffballs are so called because of the puff of "smoke" they emit after being prodded, in advanced age. They grow on dead wood, making them saprophytes.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: Bay Boletus, edible. Best added to other mushrooms or to soups and stews. Mushrooms are attractive to slugs (hence the stem damage here) and to flies who like to lay eggs in them... Nobody wants a maggoty mushroom, so it's best to eat the Boletus variety when young.

Bay Boletus has a good working relationship with the tree roots it congregates around; they are micorrhizal partners. In describing their co-habiting life, our guide Anne helps me to understand why we use micorrhizal powder when planting bare root shrubs:

Mycelium, the root-like structure that spreads around mushrooms, join the rootlets of a woody plant, feeding on its carbohydrates. The plant in turn uses this network for drawing water and as a vital mineral source. It's a mutually beneficial relationship.

Mushroom foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: Toughshanks, a fairly common sight in the Ashdown Forest, growing on dead wood. As its name implies, it is tough to eat; edible but small and unrewarding. It lives off dead wood, aiding the cycle of renewal and decay.

"The natural system comes to a halt without fungi," says Anne.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: The bracket fungus has a different story to tell, one of slow death. Many trees with this sort of picturesque shelf growing at right angles up the trunk are either displaying their death warrant or they're already dead. Oak and sweet chestnut battle these parasites with more success, but beech and birch literally fall apart.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: Classic toadstool territory, woods with streams.

Picking mushrooms should be done responsibly, as is the case with all foraging. However, a toadstool is simply the fruit of the fungus. The important part, the network of root-like mycelium, is left behind in the leaf litter. It is important not to leave a gaping hole after picking a mushroom; spread the leaves back in order to protect the invisible structure that has been left behind.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: A cluster of mini inkcaps. As these mature, their gills (under the cap) begin to liquify. This can be used as a kind of ink. Edible too.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: Mushrooms and toadstools are one and the same. They form just a tiny proportion of the fungal kingdom, which gives just as it takes away. Fungal benefits: fermentation, penicillin, food, and folklore. Mold on cheese. Fungal drawbacks: parasitic pathogens, invisible spores, deadly poison. Mold on bread.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: The dedicated mushroom knife by Opinel has a brush attachment at one end. Mushrooms should always be brushed when preparing for cooking, never washed.

Mushroom Foraging in Sussex. Gardenista

Above: Ashdown Park Hotel in Wych Cross, East Sussex, organizes mushroom foraging expeditions in the woods, a stone's throw from the terrace. Followed by a fine foraged-fungi lunch.

More to read:

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Table of Contents: Orange is the New Black

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Perhaps because nothing rhymes with orange, but everything manages to clash with it, we wax poetic when describing the intense autumnal hue. Recast as coral, apricot, tangerine, persimmon, and fall's ubiquitous pumpkin, orange becomes a designer color. Still not convinced? Join us as we, with a pumpkin latte in hand, explore the softer side of orange. What you usually think is 'so orange,' might turn out so chic, so cozy, so bewitching.


Orange is the New Black, Photograph by Erin Boyle | Gardenista

Above: Photograph by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

Monday

Arne Maynard ; Gardenista ; Wales ; farmhouse

Above: Lindsey tours the Wales farmhouse of one of her favorite garden designers, Arne Maynard, and finds the perfect mix of wildness and order in this week's Garden Designer Visit. Photograph by Tom Mannion.

Tuesday

fall picnic ; gardenista ; steal this look

Above: On a bed of fallen leaves, Cheryl sets the scene for an autumn picnic for two in this week's Steal This Look. Photograph via Studio Reskos.

Orange door ; Gardenista

Above: Stephanie lays out a welcome mat for the orange door. Get her color picks to create instant Curb Appeal in our latest installation of Palettes and Paints. Photograph via Style at Home.

Wednesday

New York ; rooftop garden ; Gardenista

Above: Stacey takes in the views from a friend's rooftop garden In downtown Manhattan in this week's Garden Visit. Photograph by Nicole Franzen for Gardenista.

Thursday

Gardenista ; floral arrangement ; blooms

Above: In our ode to orange, Cheryl picks out her favorite DIY Floral Arrangements around the web. Photograph via Sacramento Street.

  jasper hill cheese cellars ; gardenista ; travel

Above: Justine will travel for cheese. She takes us on a tour of Jasper Hills Farms, a 22,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art cheese cellar in Vermont's dairy country, in this week's installment of Garden Travel.

Friday

recipe ; gardenista ; shiso ; herbs

Above: Think shiso is just for sushi? Marie gets zesty with it in this week's Garden-to-Table Recipes.

halloween ; diy ; gardenista ; arrangement ; black thistle

Above: If you thought our celebration of all things orange was leading up to our main event, Halloween, you would be correct. Erin's DIY Project, a black thistle arrangement, offers a sneak preview of what we have brewing. Next week is going to be so spooky.

And see what's happening on Remodelista this week, where the editors are devising Genius Storage Solutions

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Designer Visit: Arne Maynard at Home in Wales

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Garden designer Arne Maynard, based in London and Wales, has been a longtime favorite of mine. Having grown up in the Dorset countryside, he knows his plants. That knowledge married with an architect's training and an intuitive eye enable him to create well-balanced gardens that mix perfectly a sense of wildness and order. They always feel right for their setting. 

Recently, while in London for the Chelsea Flower Show I decided to take a trip to visit Arne and his longtime partner William Collinson. They restored a charming 15th century Elizabethan folly called Allt-y- bela (meaning high wooded hillside of the wolf) over the border in Wales.

Photography by Tom Mannion.

Arne Maynard garden ; Gardenista

Above: Allt-y-Bela is in the heart of the Black Mountains a few miles from the town of Usk, with spectacular views. Part of the house is run as a casual bed-and-breakfast with two well-appointed rooms with bath, fireplaces, and a bottle of Croft sherry at the ready for chilly evenings. In June, Arne offers courses for gardeners (they book up fast). Staying the night at a gardener's home is a real treat, offering a chance to stumble around the grounds viewing the plantings and property in the best light—dawn and dusk—when most gardens are closed. 

Arne took a slightly different approach from his last property to his gardens here. Since he is in high demand now both in Europe and America, he needed to design his own garden with a serious consideration to low maintenance. That's not to say there isn't an impressive garden; it's just that it's remarkably manageable for its scale and diversity.

Arne Maynard garden and chickens; Gardenista

Above: His signature whimsical topiaries are the first to greet you when you pull up the unmarked drive at the end of a narrow road. The house, painted a brave color of terra cotta, is a striking backdrop to Arne's favorite palette of deep plums and richly purpled flowers. An intimate garden near the house enclosed in espaliered crabapples is filled with a wild look of bulbs and perennials. Your nose catches the intense scent of daphne, planted smartly near the kitchen door. Oversized containers are filled with intriguing color combinations.

Arne Maynard edible garden ; Gardenista

Above: A cutting and kitchen garden tucked around the back of the house is beautifully maintained with charming rows of vegetables, trained gooseberries, and currants and bordered on the outside by a bold rhubarb bed, a favorite of Arne's for puddings and jams. 

Heading to Highgrove? See At Home With Prince Charles: A Garden Ramble.

Arne Maynard kitchen hallway ; Gardenista

Above: Inside the farmhouse is cozy. The decor focuses on deep mulberry browns for the walls and stone floors, large fireplaces dwarf rooms like the library and the "snug." The furniture is 17th century oak tables and chairs with textiles strewn about and intriguing artifacts from Arne and William's travels. For the hallway Arne had an artist friend, Cornelia O'Donovan paint a wall mural of all his favorite flora and fauna, from bunnies to fritillaries, it's a nod to the old wall paintings in country piles. 

Arne Maynard primroses in Wales ; Gardenista

Above: A detail of Arne's auricula collection.

Arne Maynard's espaliered wisteria and foxgloves l Gardenista

Above: Wisteria is trained on the side of the house. Foxglove jets out of the paving.

(N.B.: Battling your own unruly wisteria? See DIY: Train a Wisteria Vine Not To Eat The House.)

Arne Maynard garden ; Gardenista

Above: The enclosed garden by the kitchen door makes for an welcoming entrance. Espaliered crabapples fence it in to form an intimate spot for afternoon tea. Whimsical topiaries, Arne's signature gesture are like charming waiters attending to your needs.

Arne Maynard garden ; Gardenista

Above: The cutting and perennial gardens are filled with Arne's favorite plants like allium, poppies, and verbascum to name a few.

Arne Maynard edible garden ; Gardenista

Above: The vegetable garden enclosed by a wattle fence and bordered by rhubarb.

Arne Maynard garden portrait ; Gardenista

Above: The designer Arne Maynard looking proud in his perennial gardens.

Arne Maynard garden topiary; Gardenista

Above: Another view of the enclosed front garden.

Arne Maynard garden copper beech; Gardenista

Above: A small purple beech maze is a welcome and relaxing design statement on the property.

Arne Maynard garden ; Gardenista

Above: Arne and William were inspired to paint their home this shade of Tuscan umber when they saw a similarly painted house on a trip to Ireland.

Arne Maynard garden boot room; Gardenista

Above: The classic boot room with ancient stone floors.

Arne Maynard bathroom ; Gardenista

Above: One of the bed-and-breakfast bathrooms painted in Arne's preferred shade of mulberry brown.

Arne Maynard kitchen ; Gardenista

Above: The kitchen with its traditional Aga stove and flagstone floor.

Arne Maynard garden ; Gardenista

Above: Chocolate cosmos and salvias.

Arne Maynard garden ; Gardenista

Above: The small stone waterfall adjacent to the upper perennial and kitchen garden.

Arne Maynard garden ; Gardenista

Above: A look at Arne's signature palette of purples and plums. Lupin, allium, and bronze fennel with spikes of verbascum blow in the breezes.

Designing a garden bed? Choose plants that look good together from our recent post, Color Theory: 10 Perfect Plant Combinations. For another garden designed by Arne Maynard, see A Downton Abbey-Worthy Garden.

N.B.: This is an update of a post published December 18, 2013.

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13 Ways to Add Curb Appeal with Pumpkins

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It's easy to create instant curb appeal in autumn, when half the work is done for you by nature. Your front door is already looking good, framed by fall foliage, colorful leaves on the stoop, and a low slant of sunlight. Add a judiciously placed pumpkin or two for a Halloween tableau that can stay on the job next month as Thanksgiving holiday decor. 

We've rounded up 13 of our favorite Halloween-to-Thanksgiving looks. Here's how to add curb appeal with pumpkins above a door, on a stoop, in a window box, or edging a walkway:

Above a Door:

  curb appeal pumpkin decor ; Gardenista

Above: Pumpkins in the same shades as the orange leaves on nearby trees sit above a door on Martha's Vineyard. Photograph via Susan Branch.

  Curb Appeal Pumpkin Black House Halloween ; Gardenista

Above: Against a black facade, orange pumpkins pop. Photograph by Katy Elliott.

  Curb Appeal pumpkins Halloween ; Gardenista

Above: In Marblehead, MA, a row of identical tiny pumpkins greets visitors. Photograph by Katy Elliott.

On a stoop:

  Curb Appeal pumpkins Halloween Autumn fall ; Gardenista

Above: Orange and black complement an Edith Wharton-era brownstone in New York City. Photograph via The Pink Pagoda.

Curb appeal Halloween planter pumpkin Brooklyn ; Gardenista

Above: Accompanied by a single pumpkin, a Halloween witch's cauldron spews fiery flowers (bright orange bittersweet, wispy grasses, and purple violas) on a Brooklyn stoop. Photograph by Erin Boyle.

Curb Appeal Halloween pumpkins yellow door NYC ; Gardenista

Above: Yellow doors, orange pumpkin on a New York City stoop. Photograph via The Cherry Blossom Girl.

Curb Appeal Pumpkins Halloween ; Gardenista

Above: A pumpkin complements the orange shades in a black window box in Brooklyn Heights. Photograph by Erin Boyle.

Curb Appeal tiny pumpkins Halloween ; Gardenista

Above: A trio of tiny pumpkins echo autumn leaf colors in the yard. Photograph via I Heart New England.

Curb appeal white pumpkin doorway ; Gardenista

Above: Less is more. One pumpkin plus one witch's broom on a Kentucky stoop. Photograph via A Fine Farmhouse.

In a Window Box:

Curb appeal Halloween pumpkin window box Brooklyn ; Gardenista

Above: Sneak preview (can you spot the tiny pumpkins?). Photograph by Douglas Lyle Thompson for Gardenista.

Coming next week: Barbara heads to Brooklyn Heights (a neighborhood that takes the spooky season very seriously) and discovers more ideas for creating instant Halloween Curb Appeal

  Curb appeal Halloween pumpkins gourds window box ; Gardenista

Above: Pumpkins and gourds fill a window box outside a potting shed. Add a few branches with orange berries, and you're done. Photograph by Sandi Boothman via Flickr.

On a Walkway:

curb appeal pumpkins Halloween ; Gardenista

Above: Symmetry, symmetry, symmetry. Mirror image pumpkins and potted mums line a front path. Photograph via Nora Murphy.

Curb appeal Halloween pumpkins white gravel path ; Gardenista

Above: White pumpkins look translucent against the gray palette of a gravel walkway. Photograph via Pretty Pink Tulips

It's never too early to start decorating for Halloween. For more of our favorite ideas, see:

And browse our Halloween archives for a Poisonous Garden, Spicy And Sweet Pumpkin Seeds, and Olivia Rae James' favorite Pumpkin Soup Recipe.

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Field Guide: Pumpkins

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Pumpkin, Cucurbita: "The Horseman's Head"

From Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow to Harry Potter to Cinderella's coach, a squash somehow has managed to carve out a permanent place for itself in our mythology of magic and superstition. What separates a pumpkin from its less glamorous relatives in the thick-skinned winter squash family?

starry sky pumpkin | gardenista

Above: Photograph by Erin Boyle.

Scientists have spent decades deciding that the answer lies in the stem—a true pumpkin has a prickly stem set at a 5-degree angle from the yellowy orange fruit. And yet. The pumpkin hails from humble roots: from the Greek word pepon meaning “large melon” (the settlers who discovered the North American native plant believed it to be an estranged cousin of the European cantaloupe). 

pumpkins Sweet Berry Farm RI Christine Chitnis ; Gardenista

Above: Photograph by Christine Chitnis for Gardenista.

Best Jack-o-lantern? The Connecticut Field pumpkin. Most delicious: sugar pumpkin. (Save the seeds to plant in spring.)

Or buy pumpkin seed now to plant next May. The best varieties? See our post 10 Easy Pieces: Best Pumpkins to Plant for Next Halloween.

Cheat Sheet

  • Edible, yes, but also ornamental. Let a pumpkin's long vine hang like a necklace over the edge of a garden bed.
  • Grow colorful flowers next to pumpkins to attract more bees and butterflies.
  • White, black, and blue pumpkins can do double duty as Halloween and Thanksgiving decor (if you don't carve them, they won't rot).

Homestead pumpkin seeds ; Gardenista

Above: Casper Pumpkin Seeds from Homestead Seeds. Photograph by Janet Hall.

Keep It Alive

  • Plant seeds in late May or early June.
  • Likes full sun and heavy (but infrequent) watering.
  • Vines need from 20 to 30 feet of space to spread.

Charisma pumpkin seeds; Gardenista

Above: A classic carving pumpkin is Charisma. Photograph by Janet Hall.

Grow pumpkin from seed and allow vines to trail; if you allow a pumpkin plant plenty of room to grow—that means from 20 to 30 feet of space—you will have beautiful blossoms in summer, as well as plenty of candidates for snaggle-toothed Jack-o-lanterns in October.

spicy and sweet roasted pumpkin seeds | gardenista

Above: Carving a pumpkin this week? Your reward for all that hard work is Erin's recipe for Spicy and Sweet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. Photograph by Erin Boyle.

fried squash blossoms from jonathan rapp and dinners at the farm | gardenista

Above: Let us not overlook the rest of the squash family. Try our recipes for Easy Squash Blossom Tempura and Zucchini Carpaccio.

Planning next year's edible garden? We suggest you make room for Chives, Thyme, and Spinach. Browse our Field Guide archives to learn why.

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Garden Visit: At Home with Vanity Fair Art Director Julie Weiss in Manhattan

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After more than 10 years of living with a shared rooftop garden in lower Manhattan, Vanity Fair art director Julie Weiss is letting the plants win.

"I love the wild, overgrown feel," Weiss says. "It's a contrast to the city." 

Weiss, an LA native, lets the garden take on a life of its own. Wavy grasses and lavender look billowy and soft against the city backdrop, with all those sharp right angles on the Woolworth Building and the Brooklyn Bridge in the distance.

We stopped by the other day for an early autumn visit (and to enjoy the panoramic views that stretch to both the Hudson and East rivers): 

Photography by Nicole Franzen for Gardenista.

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: Weiss anchors the garden with hardy herbaceous perennials that bloom deep into October. Purple agastaches and lavenders mix with wild grasses, hydrangeas, and roses. And there's the white nicotiana (at left) that she plants by the door for its "beautiful, tropical scent."

Gardenista Manhattan rooftop garden visit

Above: Divided into four outdoor "rooms," the space has lent itself to countless dinners, intimate drinks and summer soirées. 

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: Weiss likes how each of the four outdoor "rooms" can accommodate several of the building's occupants simultaneously but privately.

Gardenista Manhattan rooftop garden visit ; Gardenista

Above: Water tower as rooftop sculpture; a common New York City sight.

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: Keen on planting abundant and "tough" perennials, Weiss anchors the space with roses, lavenders, and late-flowering tardiva hydrangeas. Annuals including zinnias, cosmos, and dahlias (shown) add color and late-season interest.

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: Weiss lines the perimeter with lacy tardiva hydrangeas, "a great white hydrangea that does well with the wind on the roof."

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: Secret garden: a pergola and chairs.

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: Two chaises amid the pots. At eye level, all you see are pots of lavender, grasses, and hydrangeas.

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: A spot to contemplate the city (preferably while drinking a glass of wine).

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista chaises

Above: The Jane Watson Irwin fall perennial garden at the New York Botanical Garden inspired the overall look and feel of Weiss' rooftop space.

Julie Weiss Manhattan garden on Gardenista

Above: With the rooftops of lower Manhattan spread out like a velvety quilt, "the setting is spectacular," says Weiss. Couldn't agree more. Can we come back in the spring?

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Curb Appeal: 8 Best Orange Paints for a Front Door

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Orange is not my favorite color. I think that's because it tends to scream for attention.

That said, there are times when orange is a good paint color to use. Putting it on a front door is good, for instance, because that's a spot where it's contained. And surprising. And more modern than red. 

With Halloween approaching, orange is in the air. So I spent some time last week playing with different shades of orange paint for a front door. (Be warned: you have to be very careful to make sure the other paint colors on your house will work with orange. See below for some do's and don'ts.)

Here are the eight best shades of orange to paint a front door:

Photography by Michelle Slatalla.

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: From top to bottom, eight orange paint colors for a front door. Pratt & Lambert's Painted Lady; Benjamin Moore's Golden Gate; Benjamin Moore's Topaz; Benjamin Moore's Autumn Cover; Farrow & Ball's Charlotte's Locks; Pratt & Lambert's Bittersweet; Benjamin Moore's Montana Agate, and Benjamin Moore's Audubon Russet

Curb Appeal Paint Front Door Orange Palettes & Pain ; Gardenista

Above: Orange is a warm color. That's why you want to pair it with a cool color—white, off-white, blue,  blue-gray, or blue-green—for best effect. 

Blue, blue, blue: The reason orange looks good with blue is because the two are opposites on the color wheel. (That's why your favorite orange sweater looks best with your blue jeans.)

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: Do, do, do. Here's a trio of Benjamin Moore colors that works well as an exterior paint palette. Revere Pewter is a gray with a little green in it. Add trim painted in Mascarpone (a creamy and cheerful off-white) and you will have a nice backdrop for a front door painted with Golden Gate.

Remember: When you paint a door, you paint only the door. The trim around the door should match the color of the rest of the trim on a facade. 

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: If you have a darker gray paint on the facade like, say, Benjamin Moore's Wedgewood Gray, you can go a little brighter with the orange door. See how well Pratt & Lambert's Painted Lady plays off the gray here?

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: If you prefer a light body with dark trim, Benjamin Moore's Muslin paired with green-gray Knoxville Gray trim will work well with Golden Gate.

Curb Appeal Paint Palette Front Door Orange ; Gardenista

Above: A dark orange shade can be trickier. You don't want it to suck all the life out of your house. Here Benjamin Moore's Topaz would look handsome on a door paired a very light-colored body paint (Benjamin Moore's Palace Pearl) and cheery Mascarpone on the trim.

  Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: As for the don'ts?  Oranges paired with golds or browns can look awful. That's because golds and browns are also warm colors. Here Topaz with Benjamin Moore's Dorset Gold is enough to rob you of the will to live. Even Mascarpone on the trim can't rescue this paint palette.

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: I spent a few hours testing colors in the name of finding happy pairings for orange paints. A few rules of thumb:

  • If you're pairing orange with blue or gray, you're headed in the right direction.
  • If you're pairing orange with green, make sure it's a cool green (with more blue than yellow in its undertones).
  • If you're pairing orange with brown or gold, you're asking for trouble.

Curb Appeal Orange Front Door Paint Palettes ; Gardenista

Above: And finally, when picking an orange paint for your front door remember that oranges with red undertones are easier to pair with other colors than oranges with yellow undertones. They're just warmer. This week I tried to include a range of picks. But my three favorites—Golden Gate, Painted Lady, and Autumn Cover—all had a lot of red in them and made friends more easily than the yellow-oranges.

Painting your house? For more paint palettes, see Curb Appeal: A Perfect Paint Palette for a Dark Facade. And see the paints architects pick most for Black, White, and Gray facades.

Want to create Halloween curb appeal with a less permanent touch of orange? See 13 Ways to Add Instant Cub Appeal with Pumpkins.

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Steal This Look: Style on a Budget, a Picnic on a Bed of Leaves

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We stumbled upon this lovely autumn moment in our research. A leafy trail and moss-covered trees lead to an enchanting picnic spread, and nary a rowdy tailgater in sight. Other than scouting a beautiful spot on a clear day, what is the key to dining alfresco in October? A damp-deterrent blanket to keep your tush dry. Here's how to set the scene:

 

Above: Our inspiration for an autumn picnic via Studio Reskos.

Gardenista ; waterproof ; picnic ; blanket

Above: The Eco Fleece Blanket Tote Set features a waterproof backing that can withstand mud and wet leaves. It's $35 at Hay and Needle. 

 

Seat back cushions ; Gardenista

Above: For comfortable seating, we might repurpose a bedroll (See Sarah's Hedge House pick on Remodelista), or bring out summer's lounge cushions. To stick to the color palette, we found Threshold Outdoor Pillow Back Dining Cushions for $35 each, at Target.

 

felt cushion ; Gardenista

Above: Pile on the creature comforts with a fort of pillows. These snuggle-worthy Felt Cushions are $31.25 per cover from Etsy seller Weltin Felt. 

rustic ; stool ; bench ; Gardenista

Above: In a pinch, you could jerry-rig a tabletop with some kindling and a butcher block. If you're leaving nothing to chance, lug out your entryway furniture. Just about any low-profile bench, riser, or even coffee table (See Julie's 12 Tables Made with Cinder Blocks on Remodelista) can do double duty. We spied a pair of beautifully weathered Milkmaid Stools from Etsy seller Rustastic. They are $42 for both. 

Ikea ; lantern ; budget ; Gardenista

Above: To set the mood with overhead lighting, hurricane lanterns would be the most genuine article. See Janet's 10 Easy Pieces on the topic. On a budget, the Ikea interpretation of the classic, the Rotera is just under $4.

linen ; runner ; Gardenista

Above: A Linen Table Runner, $19.95 from H&M, is refined, but not fussy. Extra points, if you bring linen napkins. 

beeswax ; candle ; Gardenista

Above: Beeswax candles add a romantic touch to the tablescape. Plus, they are scent- and drip-free. A Medium Pillar Candle of Pure Beeswax is $14 from Terrain.

enamelware ; West Elm ; Gardenista

Above: Enamelware is lightweight, reusable, and infinitely more stylish than a paper plate. A Set of Four Dinner Plates is $40 at West Elm.

Need more picnic gear? Here are Gardenista-approved Blankets and Baskets. If you're readying for a camping trip, here's how to furnish a Glam Campsite by Shelter Co.

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10 Easy Pieces: Chimineas

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The chiminea, a freestanding ceramic fireplace invented in Mexico for baking bread, is our inspiration this week as we search for ways to stay warm outdoors.

We've rounded up 10 of our favorite wood-burning fireplaces with chimneys and fire boxes (made from materials that range from traditional terra cotta to Corten steel). Gather around one with us as the autumn chill sets in:

Chiminea ; Gardenista

Above: A Prism Steel Chiminea, $698 at Terrain, is rust-resistant and will develop a beautiful patina over time. Chiminea DWR ; Gardenista

Above: The Malm Fireplace, a favorite focal point in mid-century modern living rooms, is just as iconic and handsome outside. It's available at Design Within Reach, on sale, for $1,615.

  10 Easy Pieces: Chiminea fireplaces to keep you warm; Gardenista

Above: From Danish manufacturer Rais Stoves, a Gizeh Outdoor Wood Fireplace made of Corten steel has a stainless steel grill grate; $1,504.

Gardenista ; steel ; chiminea

Above: A Steel Chiminea comes in two heights, (125 centimeters for $67.62) and (105 centimeters for $52.01) at Amazon.

Smitten Studio's Backyard Patio Lounge in LA | Gardenista

Above: Creative director Sarah Samuel has a Red Enamel 1960s Freestanding Fireplace; $950 at Surfing Cowboys, which has similar models available. For more, see Steal This Look: Boho-Chic Patio Backyard in LA. Photograph via Smitten Studio.

Gardenista ; chiminea

Above: Designed by Danish architect Torben Madsen, the Aduro, £499.96 at Amazon, is a fireplace with a cone chimney, and does double duty as a barbecue. 

Steel ; chiminea ; garden ; Gardenista

Above: La Hacienda Cuba Chiminea, made of oxidized Corten steel, is $200 at Home Depot.

Chimenea terra cotta ; Gardenista

Above: A 52-inch-high Clay Chiminea that burns wood is $139 from Lowe's.

While terra cotta can crack in cold climates, it nods beautifully to traditional Mexican chimineas. If you have to have one, see Meredith’s post How to Prevent Cracks in Terra Cotta. Another tip when shopping for a clay fireplace: Buy it in person at a local hardware or specialty boutique, rather than online, as it's both heavy and may not survive shipping.

chiminea white instant fireplace ; gardenista

Above: In addition to an option of propane for an instant fire, Modfire's Urbanfire Chiminea ($1,650) comes in a variety of colors, from Tangerine to Ultra-Lounge White. 

Blue Rooster prairie chiminea cast iron ; Gardenista

Above: The neck of Blue Rooster's cast iron Prairie Chiminea is removable to allow for a grilling insert; $469.95.

Looking to furnish your entire outdoor space? See all our 10 Easy Pieces, from Black Wharf Lights to Freestanding Wood Stoves.

More Stories from Gardenista

Curb Appeal: 8 Best Orange Paints for a Front Door

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Orange is not my favorite color. I think that's because it tends to scream for attention.

That said, there are times when orange is a good paint color to use. Putting it on a front door is good, for instance, because that's a spot where it's contained. And surprising. And more modern than red. 

With Halloween approaching, orange is in the air. So I spent some time last week playing with different shades of orange paint for a front door. (Be warned: you have to be very careful to make sure the other paint colors on your house will work with orange. See below for some do's and don'ts.)

Here are the eight best shades of orange to paint a front door:

Photography by Michelle Slatalla.

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: From top to bottom, eight orange paint colors for a front door. Pratt & Lambert's Painted Lady; Benjamin Moore's Golden Gate; Benjamin Moore's Topaz; Benjamin Moore's Autumn Cover; Farrow & Ball's Charlotte's Locks; Pratt & Lambert's Bittersweet; Benjamin Moore's Montana Agate, and Benjamin Moore's Audubon Russet

Curb Appeal Paint Front Door Orange Palettes & Pain ; Gardenista

Above: Orange is a warm color. That's why you want to pair it with a cool color—white, off-white, blue,  blue-gray, or blue-green—for best effect. 

Blue, blue, blue: The reason orange looks good with blue is because the two are opposites on the color wheel. (That's why your favorite orange sweater looks best with your blue jeans.)

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: Do, do, do. Here's a trio of Benjamin Moore colors that works well as an exterior paint palette. Revere Pewter is a gray with a little green in it. Add trim painted in Mascarpone (a creamy and cheerful off-white) and you will have a nice backdrop for a front door painted with Golden Gate.

Remember: When you paint a door, you paint only the door. The trim around the door should match the color of the rest of the trim on a facade. 

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: If you have a darker gray paint on the facade like, say, Benjamin Moore's Wedgewood Gray, you can go a little brighter with the orange door. See how well Pratt & Lambert's Painted Lady plays off the gray here?

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: If you prefer a light body with dark trim, Benjamin Moore's Muslin paired with green-gray Knoxville Gray trim will work well with Golden Gate.

Curb Appeal Paint Palette Front Door Orange ; Gardenista

Above: A dark orange shade can be trickier. You don't want it to suck all the life out of your house. Here Benjamin Moore's Topaz would look handsome on a door paired a very light-colored body paint (Benjamin Moore's Palace Pearl) and cheery Mascarpone on the trim.

  Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: As for the don'ts?  Oranges paired with golds or browns can look awful. That's because golds and browns are also warm colors. Here Topaz with Benjamin Moore's Dorset Gold is enough to rob you of the will to live. Even Mascarpone on the trim can't rescue this paint palette.

Curb Appeal Paints & Palettes 8 Best Oranges for Front Door; Gardenista

Above: I spent a few hours testing colors in the name of finding happy pairings for orange paints. A few rules of thumb:

  • If you're pairing orange with blue or gray, you're headed in the right direction.
  • If you're pairing orange with green, make sure it's a cool green (with more blue than yellow in its undertones).
  • If you're pairing orange with brown or gold, you're asking for trouble.

Curb Appeal Orange Front Door Paint Palettes ; Gardenista

Above: And finally, when picking an orange paint for your front door remember that oranges with red undertones are easier to pair with other colors than oranges with yellow undertones. They're just warmer. This week I tried to include a range of picks. But my three favorites—Golden Gate, Painted Lady, and Autumn Cover—all had a lot of red in them and made friends more easily than the yellow-oranges.

Painting your house? For more paint palettes, see Curb Appeal: A Perfect Paint Palette for a Dark Facade. And see the paints architects pick most for Black, White, and Gray facades.

Want to create Halloween curb appeal with a less permanent touch of orange? See 13 Ways to Add Instant Cub Appeal with Pumpkins.

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Rust Never Sleeps: 8 Surprising Ways to Use Steel in the Garden

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The more we see of Corten steel in the garden, the more it appeals to us. To everybody else too, apparently—we're suddenly seeing the handsome weathered hardscape material everywhere we look.

We're seeing Corten steel's natural rust finish on fences, raised garden beds, and retaining walls. (Cor-ten is actually the trade name of a material manufactured by U.S. Steel. But, like Kleenex, the copyrighted name is now commonly invoked to refer to a whole category of products. In Corten's case, that's any steel that develops a protective layer of rust when exposed to weather.)

What sets Corten apart from regular steel—and one of its biggest benefits in the garden—is that it becomes harder and stronger when exposed to weather over time. Note that it's not always ideal: Corten isn't well-suited to hot, humid climates, and Corten will leach rust-colored water and stain paths and patios. But in the right setting, Corten is both durable and beautiful, and a reason to embrace burnt orange in the garden:

Retaining Walls:

 

Above: Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture put Corten steel to use in a modern San Francisco garden designed to accommodate a family with four children. The architect created usable play space and caved paths out of the hillside, using Corten steel as retaining walls. Photograph by Holly Stewart

Trend Alert: Hardscaping with Corten Steel | Gardenista

Above: This modern house by Wendell Burnette Architects sits at the base of Echo Mountain in Phoenix, where Corten steel retaining walls create a series of terraced beds for succulents. Photograph by Bill Timmerman via Arch Daily

Nelson Byrd Woltz corten steel retaining walls garden ; Gardenista

Above: Nelson Byrd Woltz created a circular cascade of Corten steel retaining walls for a contemporary Connecticut house. For more, see Playing Matchmaker Between a House and Its Site.

Trend Alert: Hardscaping with Corten Steel | Gardenista

Above: Tapered strips of Corten steel divide a Belgian garden into tiers; design by Belgium-based Ars Horti.

Raised Beds:

Trend Alert: Hardscaping with Corten Steel | Gardenista

Above: Edible garden beds edged by Corten steel, in a private garden by UK-based Wilson McWilliam Studio

Trend Alert: Hardscaping with Corten Steel | Gardenista

Above: A steel-framed planter box for edibles from the portfolio of Austin-based Abode Modern Homes.

Fences and Walls:

Trend Alert: Hardscaping with Corten Steel | Gardenista

Above: A Corten steel wall behind a concrete staircase in the Plaça Vila de Madrid public park in Barcelona, designed by BCQ Architects. The designers also used Corten to stabilize nearby trees.

Trend Alert: Hardscaping with Corten Steel | Gardenista

Above: This ultra-modern Berkeley, CA garden by Mary Barensfeld Architecture was a finalist in the 2014 Gardenista Considered Design Awards. The Corten steel screens provide privacy while letting breezes and leafy bamboo into the space. 

Keep browsing garden inspiration in Gardenista Roundup: For Love of Boxwood;Architects' Roundup: 10 Garden Stairways, and Garden Envy: 10 Dramatic Drainage Ideas to Steal

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Calling All Readers: Send Us Your Halloween Photos

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Calling all pumpkin carvers: we want to see your Halloween curb appeal. Send us photos—jack-o-lanterns, spooky-bed-sheet ghosts, and the gnarly gourds on your front stoop.  

Upload photos to the comments section below by Wednesday, October 22, for a chance to be featured on Gardenista. We would like to see how you're decorating your curb from doorways, lawns, porches, and stoops decked out in fall gourds and pumpkins. 

jack-o-lanterns-dee-purdy-gardenista

Photograph by Dee Purdy via She Had Us at Hello.

Upload your photos in the comments section below by Wednesday, October 22, and we'll pick our favorites to feature in a post on Gardenista during Halloween week.. 

In need of additional inspiration? Have a look at 13 Ways to Add Curb Appeal with Pumpkins and Field Guide: Pumpkins.

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