Jute is a jack of all trades in the garden. A natural fiber, jute is used to make burlap or hessian netting and landscape fabrics. These problem solvers are tough, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. (Unlike plastic, jute is biodegradable.)
Do you need to control erosion, suppress weeds, create a trellis for a climbing edible plant, germinate wildflower seeds, shade tender plants from sun, or protect them from winter weather? Netting or landscape fabric can do it all.
Here’s a roundup of ten choices—in a variety of sizes, widths, and weaves to make it easy to find the right fit. Please let us know if you have a favorite jute or burlap landscape fabric or netting that we’ve overlooked:
Above: Measuring 80 by 80 inches, a length of Natural Burlap Landscape Fabric can be used as a wind break, frost protection, or a shade cloth to protect tender seedlings. It is $7.98 from Home Depot.
Above: A 225-foot roll of Jute Netting is $79.99 from Grow Organic.
Above: A five-yard roll of burlap mesh Erosion Control Cloth is $15.64 from PartySpin via Etsy.
Above: Made of knotted woven jute, a Climbing Plants Net measures 70 inches square and creates a temporary trellis for climbing peas, vines, and flowers; 4.80€ from Manufactum.
Above: A 225-foot roll of four-foot-wide Jute Mesh Netting is $149.95 from A.K. Trading Company via Amazon.
Above: At a width of 6 inches and a length of 66 feet, a roll of Burlap Tree Wrap also can be useful in tight corners; $8.29 from Gempler’s.
Above: A large 164-foot Jute Biodegradable Mat can be used to stabilize slopes and creek banks and is 78.74 inches wide; $328 from Lowe’s.
Above: a construction grade 50-foot roll of Natural Burlap landscape cloth is 12 inches wide; $21.99 from Clever Delights.
Above: A Hessian Weedmat available in three lengths (10, 20, or 50 meters) is from $16 to $79 NZ depending on size at Superscapes.
Face it, gutters are boring. But they’re important. Unless you live in the desert, you need gutters to keep rain from pouring off your roof and onto the foundation of your house, or into your basement or crawl space, causing water damage faster than you can say “five-figure homeowner’s insurance claim.” But we have good news: You can glam up your gutters if you pick ones made of copper. They’re like jewelry for your house.
Get your mind in the gutter to learn more:
Isn’t copper pricey?
Above: Made in the US by Alabama-based Ornamentals, a EuroGutterUSA system of half-round seamless weld copper and zinc components includes includes hangers, downspouts, connectors, and end caps. For a complete list of products and pricing, see Ornamentals.
Yes. Very. Copper gutters and downspouts cost between $25 and $30 a foot, installed. Compare that to steel ones that are $8 to $10 per foot, and aluminum ones that are $5 to $8 per foot, and copper’s more than twice the cost of other materials. But. Copper gutter systems last an average of 60 years and can last as long as a century with proper maintenance, because they won’t rust. Yes, copper gutters may outlast you. Gutters of cheaper materials have much shorter lifespans. Those inexpensive vinyl ones need to be replaced every 10 years, and steel or aluminum ones need to be replaced every 20 years. Do the math. On a per-year cost basis, copper gutters don’t cost much more than steel or aluminum ones. And copper looks so elegant, making a home look like a landmark.
Copper gutters and downspouts are a dream fit for high-end custom homes, traditional-style homes, and historic residences. Copper gutters on a Victorian house? Perfect. Arts and Crafts? Stone Tudor? Perfect. Frank Lloyd Wright, champion of natural materials, adored copper gutters. Copper glinting along the edges of a classic slate roof is home-tour perfection.
Above: Zooming in on the San Francisco Victorian pictured above, we can admire a copper downspout which will develop an aged patina over time. Photograph by Daniel Dent.
Some architectural styles are less compatible. For instance, copper gutters are not a good choice for a mid-century modern house, because they clash with the intent of simple, minimal design that was meant to look Space Age, not Gilded Age.
How do I care for copper?
You’ll need to clean tree debris and roof runoff out of copper gutters, just like every other kind of gutter. Debris left in the gutter too long will discolor the copper. Use soft plastic tools, not metal ones, to remove the debris or you’ll scratch the copper. And no bare hands. Your skin has oils on it that will leave spots on the copper and mess up the patina, so wear gloves when cleaning.
Copper gutters and downspouts get an elegant blue-green patina as they age, thanks to the magic of oxidation. You will never have to paint them. But if patina isn’t your thing, you can keep copper gutters and downspouts shiny and warm-colored by putting a protective coating on them each year and polishing them with a solution made for copper. This will be a lot of work, so you may want to learn to love the look of aged metal.
Pro tip: When cleaning those copper gutters, do not lean a ladder on them. You’ll bend them. Or scratch them.
Anatomy of a Gutter System
Above: Minnesota-based Kuhl Design+ Build solders corners when installing copper gutters and downspouts For more information, see Kuhl Design+Build.
There are pieces and parts to a gutter system. Let’s start at the edge of the roof, with the:
Gutter, the tray-shaped piece that hangs on the and catches the runoff. It also has an end cap and corner pieces.
Drop outlet, which connects the gutter to the downspout.
Downspout, a vertical pipe that carries water away from the house.
Elbow, a bent pipe attached to the end or top of the downspout to direct the drainage flow.
Bracket, which fastens the gutter and downspout to your house.
Splash block, a spillway shaped piece that sits on the ground and diverts runoff from the house.
Pro tip: You can’t mix and match materials for components. Every part from end caps to elbows must be copper, because other materials could rust, staining the copper, or corrode, causing your gutter system to fail.
Styles of Copper Gutters and Downspouts
Above: A Copper Leaf Guard to fit three sizes of gutters (from 5 to 7.6 inches) comes in 6.5-foot long sections at prices starting at 195.26 from Wholesale Gutter Supply.
Round downspouts like tubes
Square downspouts look like square tubes.
Half-round gutters look like a round tube cut in half, leaving a semi-circular tray that hangs on the eave.
K-Style gutters have a flat bottom and back, and the front side is curved or ogee shaped. K-Styles can carry twice the water as a half-round, so they’re a good choice for a rainy climate.
Are you thinking about how to improve Curb Appeal? Start with inspiration from our curated design guides to Exteriors & Facades and our guide to Facade Facelifts 101. For more gutter talk:
Our judges have chosen the finalists, now you choose the winners. Vote for your favorite projects in our 2018 Considered Design Awards, once per day in each of the Gardenista and Remodelista categories. Voting closes at midnight on August 3, and winners will be announced on August 6.
Below, browse the finalists in the best Curb Appeal category—which is open to both amateur gardeners and professional designers—then head to our awards page to Vote.
Framing the Side Entrance to Our North Georgia Home
Above: Amateur gardener John studied techniques used by farmers in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and the Cotswolds to build this wall and gateway for his DIY Framing the Side Entrance to Our North Georgia Home project. Says Gardenista editor Michelle Slatalla: “The vocabulary of a classic English cottage garden, translated to make sense in a hotter, more humid climate, looks right at home in a Southern landscape. A beautifully proportioned fence and gate elevate the term ‘DIY’ to a new level.”
Lawnless Front Yard Garden
Above: Another of Michelle’s picks: BetwixtDesign’sLawnless Front Yard Garden project. “This street-facing garden makes me wish I were a butterfly (because then I would have a new place to live) or a neighbor (so I could pass this house every morning),” she says, and the vast selection of drought-tolerant plants including Achillea millefolium, Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’, Festuca glauca, and Penstemon “are proof you don’t need to use a lot of water to create curb appeal.”
Mesa House
Above: Guest judge Brook Klausing chose Kiesel Design’s playful Mesa House for its magnetic allure. Says Brook: “It’s kinda like being summoned and you’re not sure if you should trespass. You’re thinking, it’s so cool, maybe they want me to come back and check this out. Eye candy is a sugary slope to one of life’s many delicious pit stops.”
Ventura Keys Residence
Above: Kiesel Design used thyme to soften the path of segmented pavers in their Ventura Keys Residence project, a favorite of Brook Klausing, who praised its “color-enhanced, eye-catching softscape paired with a low megapixel hardscape.”
Vibrant Mediterranean Front Yard
Above: The focal point of Urban Oasis Landscape Design’sVibrant Mediterranean Front Yard is the Moorish quatrefoil planter, which is surrounded by a grid of concrete pavers. Decomposed granite helps soften the abundance of color and texture. Guest judge Brook Klausing selected this project, comparing it to “the last day of school before summer break. There is a feeling of abandonment with something special waiting for you on the other side.” Photograph by Mike Boden.
Have you chosen your favorite? Head to the Curb Appeal category page to vote.
Don’t forget to vote once per day in all contest categories on both Gardenista and Remodelista, now through August 3.
When it comes to pollinator gardens, not all are created equal. In fact, we were surprised to learn that many plants advertised as “pollinator-friendly” actually do more harm than good, either because they do not support the entire life span of pollinators and threaten native species that do, or because they are grown with toxic pesticides which can last for years. For the conscientious garden, a chemical-free, native pollinator garden is the best choice.
This summer with the help of New England Wild Flower Society, we are learning more about effective native pollinator gardens through the program Pollinate New England, an initiative made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Recently, I attended one of the society’s lectures and demonstrations to learn all about how to plant my very own native pollinator garden. (Though the organization is New England-based, their native gardening practices can be applied throughout the world.)
Photos by Justine Hand for Gardenista.
Why plant a native pollinator garden?
Above: The vast array of pollinators, which include: bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, hummingbirds, and bats, is astounding. In New England there are over 200 native pollinators alone. For those interested in supporting native pollinators, New England Wild Flower Society is offering a free, self-space online course, Gardening for Pollinators through August 3. There are also many books on how to attract native pollinators.
Pollinators are essential because they allow plants to reproduce. Yet, throughout the world this vital group is in crisis. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and the widespread use of chemical pesticides are threatening the insects, birds, and bats that are a crucial part of our eco-systems. Among these, native pollinators are among the most sensitive to these environmental and manmade pressures, because they require specific plants survive, which are also threatened by habitat loss and invasive species.
Fortunately, even the smallest native garden can help. From urban rooftop gardens to vase country estates, all you need is a small plot to help struggling native pollinators.
1. Choose native plants to help native pollinators.
Above: New England Wild Flower Society has assembled three pollinator kits, designed for different sun and soil conditions, each with 50 plug-sized grasses and wildflowers, enough to start your pollinator garden; $175.
Unfortunately, many plants that are advertised as supporting pollinators are either ineffective or may actually cause harm to native pollinators for several reasons:
They may only support the adult cycle, providing nectar for mature pollinators, but no food for the larvae of native species. Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) is such a plant. In the western hemisphere, butterfly adults may feed on the purple blooms of this Asian import, but their larvae cannot eat the leaves.
Non-regional plants may support insects that supplant local pollinator populations. Most native pollinators require very specific plants in order to grow and thrive. For example larvae of Karner blue, Persius duskywing, and frosted elfin butterflies feed only on wild lupine Lupinus perennis, not the more common L. polyphyllus which has supplanted most native lupine throughout the region. As a result both these butterflies and the plant they rely on are critically endangered.
Most insidiously, many garden center plants have been grown using systemic pesticides or neonicotinoids, water soluble chemicals that kill or harm pollinators. Not only do these chemicals kill pests in the area where they are used, they also kill pollinators. Furthermore the effects can be transferred to your garden, as these harmful chemicals have been shown to remain in the leaves and pollen of treated plants up to seven years after application.
Fortunately, your local native plant or botanical society often sells organically grown, native plants or can provide you with a list of plants that support native pollinators, and where to find them. For example New England Wild Flower Society provides list on their Planting for Pollinators page, many of which are available at Garden in the Woods or Nasami Farms. A quick internet search can reveal both local and online suppliers of chemical-free, native plants.
Above: A sampling of the plugs from one of New England Wild Flower Societies’ pollinator kits.
2. Know the components of a native pollinator garden.
The New England Wild Flower Society has published a list of “Pollinator Garden Best Practices,” which recommends including the following in your garden:
Adult Food: A diverse selection of native plants with “abundant pollen and nectar across the growing season, planted in groups for easy foraging.”
Baby Food: Host plants for butterfly and moth larvae.
Water: Muddy spots where insects can access water and soil minerals, as well as well-drain places for ground nesting.
Habitat: Nesting materials and other protective habitats such as hollow-stemmed plants, decaying wood, leaves, grasses, and bare soil, to help support the entire life cycle of threatened pollinators.
Protection: Use only plants grown in chemical-free environments. And be sure to spread the word. Tell friends and neighbors not to use pesticides or to purchase plants grown with harmful chemicals.
Above: A thorough pollinator garden also includes food for larvae, such as butterfly milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, as well as protective habitats.
3. Do your research before you plant.
Above: For a complete crash course, as well as hand-on experience, members of the public can attend the installation of one of the 12 new pollinator gardens that New England Wildflower Society is installing throughout the regional this summer.
Recently I joined group at the Wellesley, Massachusetts, police department for a native pollinator garden lecture and demonstration led by Annie White, an ecological landscape designer who teaches at the University of Vermont and performs research on pollinators, as well as Mark Richardson, the botanical director at New England Wild Flower Society. What follows is an abridged version of what we learned. For more complete information about planting your own pollinator garden:
Attend one of New England Wild Flower Society’s lectures or demos listed here.
Take a free, self-paced on-line course: Gardening for Pollinators available through Aug. 3rd. Designed for both beginners and advanced home gardeners, the course (by Annie, Mark and Daphne Minner) walks you through the whole process, including site prep, design, plant selection, planting, and care.
4. Conduct a site analysis.
Above: Habitat destruction is a leading cause in the decline of native pollinators. Fortunately one does not need a large plot to have a demonstrable impact. Located in the heart of a busy suburban neighborhood, the native garden at the Wellesley Police Station is a mere 150 square feet.
The first hands-on step to create a pollinator garden is to assess the qualities of your garden site to determine which native plant species will be most successful there. By practicing “right plant for the right place,” you will cut down on the time and resources needed to help your garden thrive. Consider the following:
Sunlight: How much sun does your garden site get? Full sun is is six or more hours per day (three to six house is part sun and few hours of sunlight equals shade). Also note the timing of the sun. Mid-day sun and southern exposure will be much stronger than morning and evening light. Note that the sunnier the site, the greater diversity of plants it will support.
Soil: Test your soil to determine its characteristics: composition (sandy versus clay), pH balance, as well as nutrient levels. Do not try to amend your soil with chemical fertilizers. Use only organic compounds, such as compost and mulch, to enhance your soil.
Moisture levels
Wind exposure
Wildlife: Consider wildlife pressures such as deer and rodents. If these pests are present, opt for resistant plants or organic deterrents such as liquid fence.
Aesthetics: Native pollinator gardens have an informal appeal. Plant them where they will complement your landscaping scheme.
5. Prepare the site.
Above: With the help of his class, Mark Richardson adds local, organic compost to the site. The New England Wild Flower Society only uses compost and organic mulch to enrich its soil, never fertilizers.
To prepare your native pollinator garden site:
Remove all sod and other non-desired plants, especially invasive species.
Till the soil to make it easier to work with.
If necessary, add top soil.
Add 1 or 2 inches of organic compost on top of existing soil. Select only fresh, local compost as this will ensure that the microbes are still active.
6. Lay out the garden and choose plants.
Above: Attendees of the Wellesley installation peruse three sample garden designs.
As with any garden, the next factor in determining what to plant in your garden is your hardiness zone. New England gardeners may visit Garden in the Woods or Nasami Farms for the best selection of New England natives. You also can purchase one of the New England Wild Flower Society’s three ready-made Pollinator Kits, which are designed to thrive in varied sun and soil conditions; $175. Each kit contains 50 plug-sized plants that will cover approximately 120 square feet.
Here are a few things to consider in your design:
Select a variety of flowers that bloom throughout the season, as well as plants that support larvae, and species with protective habits (such as grasses and stocky plants).
Consider the growing habits of the plants when making your selections. If you don’t want spread, reconsider that goldenrod.
Plan for one plant per square foot. Denser plantings like these help lock in moisture and reduce weeds. Select plants in smaller containers versus larger gallon sizes, as these are more economical and are easier to plant.
Plant taller plants towards the center of your garden so they are easier to reach.
Create “massings” of from four to five plants together. This practice not only makes it easier for pollinators to forage, it also creates what Annie calls more “legibility” in your wild flower garden.
Group moisture loving plants together to save on water bills.
Disperse color and bloom time throughout your garden.
Leave a border of several inches for spread and mulch.
Tip: When buying plants always ask for them by the botanical name so you don’t get a cultivar which is not as good for pollinators; they are less genetically diverse and the plants tend to bloom all at the same time.
Tip: Beware of pollinator seed mixes—which are often chock-full of annuals, non natives, and even invasive species.
Above: Annie White arranges all her plugs according to her design scheme before she begins planting.
7. Plant the natives.
Above: Bitten by the native pollinator bug, the enthusiastic team at Wellesley planted a new pollinator garden in about half an hour.
Lay your plants out according to your design. This practice helps maintain even spacing and allows for any last minute design tweaks.
Place the plant in the hole and fill in with dirt. Repeat until all your plants are planted.
Water the entire garden. A water wand is recommended for new plants, which can be more delicate.
Add a layer of natural mulch such as pine bark. Avoid dyed mulch or mulch with big chunks. Don’t mulch right up to the plant.
Above: The team from New England Wild Flower Society recommends that you keep your plants moist on planting day. A layer of mulch after you water will help maintain moisture.
Above: Pine bark mulch.
8. Care for the pollinator garden.
Above: As a means of continuing education, informative labels were added as a final touch to Wellesley’s new pollinator garden.
To help your native pollinator garden grow:
Water your garden often during the first year. You can buy a rain gauge to help maintain the recommended inch of water per week.
Water smaller gardens by hand so you can keep an eye both on the weeds’ and the plants’ progress.
Weed by hand.
In fall, leave seed heads and stalks to provide food and habitat for birds and overwintering insects. You can also add a little leaf mulch in fall.
Cut back in spring.
Add compost in spring.
Never use weed killers, chemical fertilizers, or pesticides.
Above: The proud team in Wellesley, Massachusetts, enjoys its new native pollinator garden.
While boxwood, pittosporum, and hebe may be hogging the shrub spotlight, loropetalum can put up a fight when it comes to competing for a leading role. In fact, Chinese fringe flower soared from relative obscurity to plant fame (becoming widely available) in less than five years, an incredibly quick ascent for a new plant introduction. The explanation for this insta-success will seem obvious after you meet this evergreen shrub:
As a garden designer, I use loropetalums when I need an evergreen shrub that is charming to look at year round, is not demanding of my time, and infuses the landscape with vibrancy even when out of bloom. (I’m fond of show-offs only when they are plants.)
With handsome, burgundy-colored foliage and bright, fringed flowers in spring, this fast-growing evergreen shrub can fill a hole in a flower border and create a foil for other silvery shrubs or flowering perennials.
Please keep reading to learn whether loropetalum is the best shrub for your garden:
Above: Loropetalum chinense. Photograph by Tatters via Flickr.
Loropetalum, native to woodlands of the Himalayas, China, and Japan, is a genus of mainly large evergreen shrubs in the witch hazel family. The resemblance to its cousins is clear when the plant starts pumping out masses of frilly, spidery flowers in early spring or (if you’re horticulturally lucky) sporadically throughout the year.
Above: A white variety of Loropetalum chinense. Photograph by Jean via Flickr.
The plant’s typical white-flowering, green leafed species (Loropetalum chinense) arrives on the US plant scene in 1880, but remained generally under the radar for a century. But in the 1980s, when eye-catching maroon-leafed, pink-flowering varieties hit the market, loropetalum justifiably became the popular girl.
Today there are cultivars that will grow to a variety of heights (from two to 15 feet), with a range of foliage colors (olive, bronze, burgundy, and fiery red) and flowers (pink, white, and red).
Above: A variety of loropetalum with attractive, burgundy-colored leaves. Photograph by Faunng’s Photos via Flickr.
Loropetalum’s versatility is another fine trademark. The shrub can thrive in mild coastal climates in full sun, yet can accept shadier spots inland. Chinese fringe flower feels at home in most garden designs when the foliage color and loose arching habit is used to its advantage.
Two of my favorite cultivars are L. chinense ‘Ever Red’ (with red flowers that complement wine-rich burgundy foliage, it can grow to six feet high and wide) and ‘Burgundy’ (new foliage emerges reddish-purple then ages to purple-green). This variety quite probably offers the most contrast between the hot-pink flowers and foliage and grows to a mature size of six by 10 feet.
Loropetalum is versatile and adaptable to various landscape designs but especially lovely in woodland, Asian, or cottage gardens.
Because some varieties can soar to heights of up to 15 feet, they are the perfect-privacy hedge candidates in zones where they remain evergreen.
Chinese fringe flower is attractive when grown as a foundational backdrop, single specimen, or in espalier form.
The burgundy-leafed varieties especially stand out when paired with plants with chartreuse foliage.
Above: Loropetalum ‘Fire Dance’. Photograph by Manuel M.V. via Flickr.
Keep It Alive
Plant loropetalums in sun or part shade for best leaf color and flower production.
While not minding the occasional trim to control shape and size, this shrub prefers to be pruned in the spring after blooming to avoid compromising next spring’s flowers. Also, avoid overzealous shearing, which reduces the naturally graceful form.
Chinese fringe flower is typically deer-proof, but on occasion I have seen marauders develop a taste for it, sadly stripping the leaves off the stems.
Loamy, slightly acidic (but well-drained) soil is preferred. Also: irrigate occasionally because this plant prefers soil moist but not soggy.
While hardy to USDA zone 7, the shrub loses its leaves in northern regions. (Loropetalum freezes to the ground at around 5 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Rambler roses often get overlooked for their more showy relatives, but they deserve better. Although many ramblers bloom only once per season (there are some exceptions), they continue from June and into July providing masses of flowers and scent—and for relatively little work.
You can use rambler roses to solve many landscape problems: to create privacy screens, to hide walls, and to fill large spaces. Ramblers have their challenges, however. They need space and a stout pair of gloves is often advisable for pruning. But what they lack in repeat flowering, they certainly make up for in a cascade of color and scent.
For expert advice on ramblers, we visited Susie and Henry Robinson at home in the English Cotswolds, where they have two acres of gardens and have over the past 35 years accumulated more than 150 ramblers, creating a National Plant Collection. “The idea was to collect all the known varieties of each species, before they were lost to gardens and gardeners,” says Henry.
Are you wondering if a rambling rose is right for your garden, or which one to plant? Here are some tips from the Robinsons.
Photography by Britt Willoughby Dyer.
What is a rambler rose?
Above: Old wood pruned out of a rambler rose reveals the arching stems of new growth, weighed down with blooms.
Rose cultivars can be a complicated and thorny subject. Horticulturally speaking, rambler roses can be hybrids of Rosa multiflora,R. sempervirens, or R. wichurana, or be more direct descendants of wild roses, which are known as species roses. The yellow Lady Banks rambler (Rosa banksiae) belongs to that group.
Above: The important thing is to choose a rose which will grow to fill the space you have.
Before buying a rose, do a little research to see how big it will be at maturity. It’s no good planting R. ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’ over a doorway, as by year two or three it’ll be acting like a nightclub doorman and denying you access.
What is the difference between a rambler and a climbing rose?
Above: R. ‘Janet B. Wood’, which can be trained to climb a wall or a pillar, is a pure white semi-double rose which was rediscovered by Janet McQueen in Dunfermline in 1984. It is part of a small family of Ayreshire ramblers.
Ramblers tend to grow faster than climbers and they like to sprawl (R. filipes ‘Kiftsgate’ can reach up to 60 feet at maturity). Rambler roses’ stems are more pliable than climbers’ and easier to weave through open fences and trellises. While a climber may be coaxed into repeat blooming, a rambler generally will perform only once a year.
Does a rambler need to be pruned?
Above: R. ‘Narrow Water’ disguises a stone wall.
Ramblers need very little maintenance. Old or diseased wood should be cut back to the base to allow space for the new, flexible stems to reach out. If a plant has become overly congested, they can be given a full chop in late summer and often bounce back with vitality after this rather drastic technique.
What landscape problems can a rambler rose solve?
Above: R. ‘American Pillar’, bred by the American botanist and naturalist Dr. Walter Van Fleet in 1902, covers the garage walls in the Robinson garden. The strong carmine color is complemented by a striking white center.
The long stems of rambler roses can clamber up over pergolas and arches, and are great for covering unsightly buildings or fences.
Above: R. ‘American Pillar’ and R. ‘Janet B. Wood’ are happy companions.
When the Robinsons moved to the family home at Moor Wood in the early 1980s, they were greeted by a sprawling garden of intricate areas demanding high maintenance. To simplify the planting, or “un-garden” it as Susie refers to it, meant a radical re-think. After all, what they had in spades was space, old walls, and established trees providing the perfect habitat for supple new shoots to clamber up.
Above: The chartreuse flowers of lady’s mantle complement the yellow flowers of a rambler rose at Moor Wood.
Above: A hedge of ramblers will perfume the air next to a set of steps or a pathway.
Twenty years on, the garden looks as though it has been clothed in ramblers forever lending it a fairytale quality.
What is a National Plant Collection?
Above: R. ‘Albertine’ is a well-known old rambler growing up to 20 feet. The dark salmon-pink buds open to almost double heads of coppery pink with a strong, sensual perfume.
In the United Kingdom, an umbrella organization called Plant Heritage oversees more than 630 national collections of garden plants, to document and preserve groups of plants for future generations. Each collection has a designated custodian and is grown in a specified location, ranging from private gardens to the public collections maintained by the Royal Horticultural Society.
What are the best rambler roses to grow?
Rosa ‘Jersey Beauty’
Above: R. ‘Jersey Beauty’ has elegant and profuse clusters of single flowers which fade from lemon-yellow to white, and the foliage is a rich, glossy green.
Rosa ‘Ghislaine de Féligonde’
Above: R. Ghislaine de Féligonde is an unusual repeat flowering rambler with a musky fragrance and almost thornless stems. The rambler was named in 1916 by the French landscape architect Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier, after a friend’s daughter.
Rosa ‘Aviateur Blériot’
Above: R. Aviateur Blériot was named after the French aviator Louis Blériot in 1902. The double flowers fade from orangey-yellow to cream and have a good fragrance.
Rosa ‘Narrow Water’
Above: Discovered at and named after Narrow Water Castle in Northern Ireland, R. ‘Narrow Water’ is a shorter rambler with clusters of lavender pink flowers giving off a spicy scent.
Summer, meet style. This week the Remodelista editors rounded up their favorite design ideas to transform their interiors into seasonal sanctuaries. See five of their favorite design ideas to steal:
Campaign Chair
Above: The Humphrey Chair from Texas Rover is available in a natural or black-stained frame and with a brown or black leather seat for $1,599 (it’s currently on sale for $980).
See more classic campsite essentials in this week’s Steal This Look post.
Woodlands Wallpaper
Above: In a bath in LA’s Los Feliz neighborhood, Marthe Armitage’s Oakleaf wallpaper was custom-printed in a black-green hue to match the paint (the color is Troubadour from Portola. Photographs by Shade Degges.
See more in Kitchen of the Week: An Architect’s Own Colonial Cottage Kitchen in Los Feliz.
Alexa puts together a checklist of essentials for your cabin. See more in Steal This Look: A Stylish Camp Kitchen in a Plywood Summer Cabin.
Potting Room
Above: Potho and ivy vines (and out-of-bloom orchids) create a green screen in Helen Dealtry and Dan Barry’s 1830 house in Claverack, New York. Photograph by Alison Engstrom.
Our judges have chosen the finalists, now you choose the winners. Vote for your favorite projects in our 2018 Considered Design Awards, once per day in each of the Gardenista and Remodelista categories. Voting closes at midnight on August 3, and winners will be announced on August 6.
Below, browse the finalists in the best Hardscape category—which is open to both amateur gardeners and professional designers—and then head to our awards page to Vote.
N.B.: Curious to know who’s winning? We reveal the rankings when you vote in each category.
Modern Meets Boho
Above: Gardenista editor Michelle Slatalla chose Boxhill‘s Modern Meets Boho project, noting the way “well-placed hardscape elements extend living space to the outdoors.” Photograph by G. Vargas.
Our South Terrace—a Fifteen Year Project
Above: Amateur gardener John’s South Terrace project caught guest judge Brook Klausing‘s eye. “This minimal amount of material delivers the most impact by showing restraint,” he said.
Poolside Sanctuary
Above: The goals for Renée Byers Landscape Architect‘s Poolside Sanctuary project were twofold: create a secluded, poolside landscape for entertaining and make it wheelchair-accessible. Says Brook of the finished project: “This summer playground is timeless. It feels open to new ideas without ever having to add anything other than seasons.”
Rose Lane
Above: Michelle chose Shades of Green Landscape Architecture‘s Rose Lane project as a finalist. “Stone pavers in colors of gray and blue complements the foliage of Mediterranean and succulent plants, creating harmony and a soft, hazy landscape that feels natural, not imposed,” she said of the design. Photograph by Ive Haugeland.
Woody Creek Garden
Above: Brook gave Design Workshop, Inc.‘s Woody Creek Garden a rave review: “This hardscaping masterpiece delivers the most sophisticated introduction to the wild west without ever having to step out of your comfort zone.”
Have you chosen your favorite? Then head to the best Hardscape category page to vote.
Don’t forget to vote once per day in all contest categories on both Gardenista and Remodelista, now through August 3.
Above: The ultimate flower-arranging getaway: At a historic 1904 buttery turned candle factory in Newstead, Australia, now the site of Instagrammer Katie Marx‘s flower workshops with lunch, wine, and cheeses. See more at Butterland. (In the area? There are spots available in tomorrow’s workshop. Sign up here.)
There’s still time to vote for your favorite entry in the 2018 Considered Design Awards. Vote now (or, to vote for Remodelista projects, head here).
Above: And, the book we’re all coveting? The Outside Institute’s artful field guide to the Hudson and Upper Delaware Valleys by Gardenista friend Laura Silverman, a “point of entry for beginning naturalists,” with a guide to flora and fauna, “facts about medicinal, craft, and culinary usage,” thoughtful illustrations, and recipes.
When it comes to sunscreen, I admit to being cranky. First there’s the way it makes me feel: sticky and grimy–and that’s before I’ve spent the day in the garden. Then there are all of the acronyms, numbers, and utterly unpronounceable ingredients that I’m expected to parse.
As someone who’s cautious about the products I use on my skin, I have had moments when going without sunscreen has seemed like the lesser of evils. Choosing to stay out of the hottest sun and wearing protective clothing are certainly viable sun protection options—and a good thing to do even with sunscreen—but it’s important to know a thing or two about the white stuff. And, alas, to wear it.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, non-melanoma skin cancer is currently the number-one form of cancer in the US: one in five Americans develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime. Whether we like it or not, sunscreen is a necessary component of our daily routine.
Here are a few helpful guidelines for what to pack in your beach bag or garden tote.
Photography by Erin Boyle.
1. Buy sunscreen labeled UVA/UVB broad spectrum.
Above: Read the label.
The FDA requires products labeled “broad spectrum” or “full spectrum” to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. The Skin Cancer Foundation explains that “UVB rays are the chief culprit behind sunburn, while UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other light-induced effects of aging.”
2. Use SPF 15 or above.
Above: Who wouldn’t want to protect tiny toes? FDA guidelines allow products with an SPF of 15 and above to make claims of reducing the risk of skin cancer and early skin cancer as well as preventing sunburn.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “SPF—or Sun Protection Factor—is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin.” An easy guideline: SPF 15 filters out approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays, SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent, and SPF 50 keeps out 98 percent. Start protecting your skin early: sunscreen should be used by everyone, including infants ages six months and up (consult your pediatrician for recommendations).
3. Know your options.
Above: This summer, I’ve been using MyChelle’s SunShield Coconut; $20. It smells really good and helps save me from looking like I’ve just applied clown makeup.
As a general rule, sunscreen falls into two categories: physical sunscreens and chemical sunscreens. If you’re like me and wary of chemical ingredients, you can opt for a sunscreen with physical blockers like zinc oxide, which are generally considered to be safer than chemical blockers. The downside to these sunscreens is the white film they tend to leave behind.
4. Put on more than you think you need.
Above: The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a whopping one ounce of sunscreen applied 30 minutes before going into the sun. This means that a day at the beach might add up to a half a bottle of sunscreen or more.
5. Reapply often.
Above: Wearing a hat (or skin-protective clothing) can help extend the time between applications.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours and more frequently if you’re sweating or swimming.
A few weeks back, photographer Alison Engstrom and I took an early morning Amtrak north from New York City to Hudson to visit artist Helen Dealtry and Dan Barry in their clapboard house, tucked behind a hedgerow in the small upstate town of Claverack. The light was too harsh at midday to photograph the gardens, but after we finished shooting the eclectic interiors (see An Artist’s Circa-1830 Home in Claverack, New York), we noticed early-evening dappled light—and stepped outside to capture a few shots of the quiet gardens, just in time. Here’s a look.
Above: The circa-1830 house is set back from a main street in Claverack, where tall hedgerows abut the road and conceal the historic houses and sprawling gardens behind.
The couple was living in Brooklyn when they discovered the house online in the fall of 2016. The gardens, by landscape designer Peter Bevacqua, were mostly in place. Bevacqua has become a friend: He lives down the street amid sprawling, intricate gardens. On the day we visited, Dealtry pointed out two long, oval pieces of honeycomb in their dining room, a gift from Bevacqua and his bees.
Hedge maintenance is a running joke in the neighborhood: It’s rumored some spend tens of thousands of dollars on their upkeep. (For their part, Dealtry and Barry say, they hire a crew to trim their double front hedge of hornbeam and boxwood, plus some trees, a few times per year.)
Above: The front entrance, seldom used by the couple, with trailing potato vines casting shadows on the steps.
Above: Just to the side of the house is a gravel driveway with the only addition the couple has made to the landscape: a swinging wooden gate that marks the entrance into the back gardens. “Using a limited plant palette of hornbeam, boxwood, arborvitae, and linden for the garden’s bones, I created green walls for privacy and to divide the long narrow property into rooms,” Bevacqua said.
The Summer Dining Patio
Above: The driveway leads to the back of the house, and the entry more often used by the couple, where garden beds create outdoor rooms, including an outdoor dining room for summer meals, tucked between the flowers.
Above: A glass table serves as potting bench, with basil and small strawberries ready to be planted.
Helen does most of the gardening; fitting, as flowers and floral patterns are the focus of her work as a watercolor painter. (You can follow some of her sketches and paintings on Instagram @helendealtry; she also teaches workshops.)
Above: Among the flowers, roses and delphinium grow by the new gate.
Outdoor Living Room
Above: The garden beds curve and swoop to create privacy and separate spaces within the pea gravel patio.
“All the beds were existing; we have just added pots and a few new plants to the existing beds. The color scheme and planting were very simple and we have added a few new varieties such as lavender, roses, and delphiniums,” Dealtry says. She cuts foliage and flowers from the garden to paint, she adds: “I love to cut branches from the garden since we have so many trees. Also, the hostas are abundant and add a great sculptural structure to other more whimsical flowers.”
Above: A summer living room, set for lounging. The outdoor furniture was all in place when the couple moved in.
Hedge Path
Above: Adjacent to the patio, bordering the driveway, two rows of hornbeam hedges—one tall, one short—create a passage of sorts, leading into the expansive gravel garden.
Above: Turning and walking between the hedges, it feels as though you’re entering another room, Secret Garden style.
Gravel Courtyard
Above: Beyond the hedges lies the garden’s piece de resistance: a long, formal gravel garden, centered by a screened outbuilding (for long, warm-weather dinners) and a shallow reflecting pool.
Above: Despite its formal elements, the garden has a relaxed, languid feel to it, as though one could lounge all day eating strawberries in one of the vintage-style armchairs.
Beside the shed is a practical element: a tumble composter that the couple feeds with scraps from their kitchen. “It will be used on the flower beds in late fall,” Dealtry says. (Read more about the options in Hardscaping 101: Composting Systems.)
Above: The shallow pool, with lily pads, is home to the couple’s turtle, Moe. He winters in a glass tank in the house until the water warms up enough for his reentry.
Above: A moment of whimsy: spherical boxwoods dotted around the grounds, and a driftwood chair, left behind by the previous owner. “The boxwoods get hand-trimmed twice a year, in spring and early fall,” Dealtry says. “It’s a learning curve; I hope it gets faster!”
Back Allée
Above: Two rows of pleached linden trees form a sun-dappled allée along the very back of the garden, and allow for extra privacy.
Above: The view from the steps of the black outbuilding, looking toward the house, over the gravel courtyard and pool.
Our judges have chosen the finalists, now you choose the winners. Vote for your favorite projects in our 2018 Considered Design Awards, once per day in each of the Gardenista and Remodelista categories. Voting closes at midnight on August 3, and winners will be announced on August 6.
Below, browse the finalists in the best Outdoor Living Space category—which is open to both amateur gardeners and professional designers—then head to our awards page to Vote.
N.B.: Curious to know who’s winning? We reveal the rankings as you vote in each category.
Art Barn Outdoor Living Space
Above: Architecture firm ORA‘s Art Barn Outdoor Living Space is a favorite of guest judge Erica Tanov, who admires “the simplicity of materials and design, the bold proportions, and the elegant execution” of this project. “I wanted to see more of this outdoor living space,” she says. Photograph by Eric Staudenmeier.
Garden Birdhouse for Kids Big & Small
Above: Amateur gardener Kristin and her husband, James, transformed a wet, weed-filled corner of their yard into a Garden Birdhouse for Kids Big & Small. Gardenista editor Michelle Slatalla admires the use of “DIY ingenuity to turn an unloved corner of the garden into a much-used family space.”
Jungly New Orleans Backyard Remodel
Above: Amateur gardener Liz’s Jungly New Orleans Backyard Remodel is another of Michelle’s picks. She especially likes the way the project “honors the majesty of a mature oak tree” and “offers respite from humidity and heat with a curving gravel path that leads to a shady spot to sit.”
Venice House
Above: Erica picked Kiesel Design‘s Venice House, calling it “the epitome of perfect California indoor/outdoor living—beautifully blurring the lines of outside and in through its masterful design and landscaping.”
Village Retreat
Above: Renée Byers Landscape Architect‘s Village Retreat is another of Erica’s favorites. “The incredible choice and placement of stones, pavers, textural plants and mature trees create inviting, sumptuous, and secluded areas in this gracious outdoor living space,” she says.
Have you chosen your favorite? Then head to the best Outdoor Living Space category page to vote.
Don’t forget to vote once per day in all contest categories on both Gardenista and Remodelista, now through August 3.
When florist Brigitte Girling of Moss & Stone discovered her house deep in the English countryside 18 years ago, much of the surrounding land had been sold off, and the remaining one-acre garden was overgrown and overshadowed by huge Leyland cypress, laurel, poplar, and yew trees. There were just a few surviving old roses. “I felt rather like Snow White in a garden that was slowly growing more dense, dark, and impenetrable,” says Brigitte.
But after a few years’ observation and a visit from the local tree officer (the plot had a tree preservation order), she got to work chopping down the thuggish specimens and clearing the way for a new garden. She planted a native hedge around the perimeter of the plot to welcome wildlife, box hedges around large mixed garden beds, and a copper beech hedge to create a secret area that would later have a wildlife pond.
Above: A climbing rose is locked in a passionate embrace with a rusted metal tuteur. See similar garden supports at 10 Easy Pieces: Garden Tuteurs.
“My garden style, like my floral design, is very natural, wild, and celebrates the brave and quirky. Whether it’s a tenacious self-seeder or pretty ‘weed’, most things are allowed to do their own thing,” says Girling.
Above: The mismatched brick walls of the house (the original timber-framed part of the house dates from 1650 with later Georgian and Victorian additions) were softened with climbers including Hydrangea petiolaris, which are now reaching for the eaves.
Beautiful old brick walls in the garden (as well as the facade of the house) are the perfect backdrop for scrambling roses.
Above: Floral designer Girling runs frequent floral arranging workshops in her garden.
A decade ago, Brigitte decided to give in to her passion for flowers and signed up for a part-time, two-year course at a local agricultural college to learn basic floristry skills. She then worked freelance for eight years on events with floral designers before setting up on her own as Moss & Stone, working on weddings, events, and private commissions, as well as running workshops from her pretty cart-lodge studio.
Above: In addition to perennial and annual flowers, florist Girling is a fan of stalwart shrubs such as philadelphus, lilac, spirea, and physocarpus. “The list is endless and every year it gets longer, which is why the grass is disappearing so fast,” she says.
Above: Fans of Brigitte’s Instagram posts (@mossandstonefloraldesign) will already know she has a thing for vintage pots, urns, and garden furniture, which she sources from specialist dealers including Violet Grey Decorative Antiques as well as the local auction house at Diss and local secondhand stores and markets.
Above: Over the years the vegetable beds slowly have been commandeered for growing flowers for cutting, including ranunculus, dahlias, astrantia, roses, and annuals.
Above: Post-bloom, poppy seed heads add texture to floral arrangements.
Above: The flower beds have got bigger and bigger and moved into the main garden too, while two greenhouses help to lengthen the growing season. In summer one is filled with sweet peas and will later house chrysanthemums.
Above: Brigitte Girling’s floral studio.
Above: Workshop in progress.
From April to October the beds and borders become a cutting garden for weddings and workshops. As a florist, her list of favorites is never-ending but it currently includes garden roses such as ‘Koko Loko’, ‘Mokarosa’, ‘Julia’, ‘Vidal Sassoon’, and ‘Fighting Temeraire’ as well as characterful annuals such as Phlox ‘Creme Brûlée’, chocolate cosmos, and scabious.
Above: Arguably the biggest challenge here is the light and sandy soil that makes high-summer gardening a serious challenge.
“I wouldn’t change the oaks, limes, beeches and plane trees for the world, but if I had a magic wand the sand I would change in instant,” says Brigitte, who regularly mulches with garden compost as well as extra mushroom compost, manure, and topsoil.
Above: A mossy tabletop.
During the summer she also collects and dries many seed heads, grasses, and flowers to use in the winter months. “Bare branches, early hellebores and early blossom are all there if you seek them out. I’m always amazed at what the garden can produce on even the darkest days of the year,” she says.
Above: Frilly pompom poppies. To grow your own from seed, a packet of 200 seeds of Papaver Somniferum ‘Lilac Pompom’ is £2.49 from Crocus. Or for US readers, a packet of 300 seeds of Lilac Pompom Poppy is $3 from Baker Creek.
For information about upcoming workshops, see Moss & Stone.
Are you inspired by Brigitte Girling’s garden to grow some of the same flowers? See growing tips for Dahlias, Poppies, Roses, and Annuals in our curated guides to Garden Design 101. Read more:
Nothing says “holiday” quite like an outdoor chaise, particularly when it’s poolside and accompanied by an aperitif. Here are our 10 favorite modern white outdoor chaise loungers and sun beds for an instant French Riviera look in any outdoor space. Bonjour les grandes vacances!
Above: Blu Dot’s Skiff Outdoor Sun Lounger is made of powder-coated aluminum and weather-resistant Batyline fabric. It’s $999 at Blu Dot.
Above: The Kettal Park Life Deckchair is designed by Jasper Morrison and made of powder-coated aluminum and comes with a cushion; €2,195 at Ambient Direct.
Above: The Jan Kurtz Rimini Classic Sunbed is made of a white powder-coated aluminum frame and a waterproof and UV-resistant fabric; $395 at Connox.
Above: The Loll Designs Lollygagger Chaise is made of 100-percent recycled and recyclable plastic, mostly from post-consumer plastic milk jugs, for $1,020 at Design Within Reach.
Above: Like the company’s classic outdoor chair, Fermob’s Bistro Deckchair is a similar style made of steel with UV-resistant powder lacquer; $658 at Connox.
Above: The 1966 Contour Chaise was designed by Richard Scultz for Knoll out of woven vinyl-coated polyester mesh and powder-coated aluminum; $2,318 at Knoll.
Above: The Amigo Aluminum Three-Leg Lounger is from Italian manufacturer Fiam and is made of aluminum and textilene, a weatherproof and UV-resistant fabric. The lounger is $188 at Connox.
Above: The Eos Chaise designed by Matthew Hilton for Case is made of powder-coated aluminum and mold-, mildew-, and UV-resistent textilene fabric; $995 at Design Within Reach.
Above: Another design by Richard Schultz for Knoll is the Schultz Adjustable Chaise Lounge made of aluminum and weather-resistant Gore Tenara sewing thread; $3,083 at Hive Modern.
Above: Another design from Fermob is the Alizé Deck Chair is made of aluminum and outdoor fabric and comes with a removable foot rest; $1,185 at Connox.
Any of these lounge chairs would look lovely next to a swimming pool. For more design ideas, see our guide to Swimming Pools 101 in our curated guides to Hardscape 101 projects. For more outdoor furniture see our posts:
German artist and designer Valentin Loellmann converted a listed stable house into a characterful, hand-built home for his family. At first, the house, located on the River Maas in the Dutch town of Maastricht, didn’t have much of a garden: “just one high wall and a field behind,” he says. “We dogged out the ground to create different levels. One for the covered terrace, one for the pool, one stone patio, and one, the topmost, for a grass field.” He planted a large willow tree (“a natural curtain for the upper bedroom”), wisteria vines, a mimosa tree, and hand-built a concrete pool. “All to create a more Mediterranean feel,” he says. Here’s a look at the result.
Above: The concrete lap pool sits where the aforementioned wall (about 5 feet high) had been just off the back of the house. “You didn’t have any space behind the house or an exit from the living room,” says Valentin. Now the lower terrace, partially covered with a hand-built wood pergola, is designed with a pair of lounge chairs bought from a vintage furniture dealer in Brazil.
Above: The idea for a concrete pool came as an accident. “During construction there was a storm and water flooded the garden,” he explains. “Then the sun came out and there was this shimmering light throughout the entire house reflected from the water, so I figured we needed a pool.”
Above: The 10-meter (about 33 feet long) pool is filled to the brim. “When I swim the water is constantly falling over the front, but it adds a calm sound that works nicely with the River Maas directly behind it.” Valentin, who makes and designs wood furniture, installed the oak deck floors himself.
Above: The exterior of the pool is painted black and the inside is painted a Yves Klein-inspired shade of blue. “I paint it every year,” he says.
Above: Artful reflections in the lap pool.
Above: The mimosa tree in full bloom nearly reaches the top of the house.
Above: The house reflected in the pool.
Above: A view of the house from the River Maas behind.
As I was headed into my local nursery the other day, an interior-plant deliveryman was unloading a van out front. Because I am perennially curious and a devout plant lover, I poked my head inside and saw the vehicle was basically a fully loaded plant-candy store with a fine selection of leaves and stems instead of chocolate and sprinkles. And because I am that kind of person, I struck up a conversation with the grower. After taking the one-minute “tour” of the truck, I asked him what his most popular plant was. You guessed it: ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia).
ZZ plant is the quiet hero of nearly any Instagram-worthy houseplant collection, the stalwart soldier in the corner of the photo frame as you scroll through thousands of images of #houseplantsofinstagram and #crazyplantlady foliage.
Turns out there’s a good reason that tropical plant Z. zamiifolia is a social media darling. After further discussion (and not even trying to pronounce the lengthy name), I was so convinced that I marched into the nursery and bought my own #zzplant. What persuaded me?
Read on to learn everything you need to know about the hipster houseplant ZZ.
Zamioculcas zamiifolia has been around for centuries, originating in drought-prone Africa (where it thrives outdoors). A couple of decades ago, Dutch nurseries located in South Africa saw the plant’s propagating potential and in 1996 started distributing it around the world. Since then, ZZ plants have entered the hearts, homes, and offices worldwide.
Why are ZZ plants so popular?
Above: A 4-inch ZZ Plant comes in a plastic nursery pot; $11 from The Sill.
ZZ plant, with its wide, attractive, dark green leaves, boasts many favorable traits for offices and homes. ZZ plant tolerates neglect, is drought tolerant, and accepts low-light conditions without throwing a fit. Its waxy, smooth leaves reflect sunlight and brighten rooms. ZZ usually grows slowly to a height and width of 2 to 3 feet so it is not a plant monster that outgrows containers quickly.
ZZ plant also is an air purifier and in a NASA study, researchers found it is specifically adept at removing copious amounts of toxins such as xylene, toluene, and benzene from the air.
Wait, didn’t I read somewhere that ZZ plants are poisonous?
Above: A ZZ plant growing on Maui. Photograph by Forest and Kim Starr via Flickr.
ZZ’s one major drawback is that all parts of the plant are poisonous. In fact, during the 2010s there were false rumors that ZZ was so toxic that the plant caused cancer, and was so dangerous that people wore gloves when handling it. The truth? It’s toxic but not cancerous. Don’t eat it, keep it away from nibbling pets and overly curious children, and always wash your hands after handling it to avoid skin irritation.
Care of ZZ is simple, making it the gold standard for houseplant beginners, preoccupied office workers, and brown thumbs. The ZZ plant luckily doesn’t need any special type of potting soil: any well-drained potting soil will do. As for feeding it, apply a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer (20-20-20) once a month when watering.
Situate your ZZ in low to bright indirect light, and water when fully dry. Typically you can even forget a watering…or three…and it will still thrive. ZZ is also very resistant to diseases and insects. If your plant’s branches intrude into your space and get in the way, simply prune them away. The plant will potentially flower mid summer to early autumn but the flowers are quite small and not super attractive, making ZZ mainly a foliage plant.
ZZ plants grow from large, thick rhizomes that resemble potatoes. These rhizomes store water, which is why the plant does well during droughts and places where forgetful owners live.
Above: A Zamioculcas (ZZ) Plant is available in three sizes, from 6 to 10 inches, for prices from $26.99 to $91.99 from Ottawa Plants.
Propagating ZZ is as simple as separating these rhizomes and replanting. Another method is to take a cutting with two leaves and a bit of stem. ZZ grows quicker when more rhizomes or larger rhizomes are grown together.
Old rose vines climb the facade. Bucolic pastureland surrounds a secluded half-acre of land. And “the only visible neighbor is the church across the street with its beautiful old church tower which can be seen from the house like a painting.”
Does this sound like the start of a fairy-tale about an enchanted house? The description, from European real-estate site Fantastic Frank, is enough to convince us to keep reading. Let’s take a tour of the gardens of this 60-year-old country house in Germany “on the edge of the beautiful village of Hof Eich, not far from Gelnhausen,” but no more than a 40-minute drive from the Frankfurt airport.” (And if we like it? It’s for sale: €780,000.)
Our judges have chosen the finalists, now you choose the winners. Vote for your favorite projects in our 2018 Considered Design Awards, once per day in each of the Gardenista and Remodelista categories. Voting closes at midnight on August 3, and winners will be announced on August 6.
Below, browse the finalists in the best Edible Garden category—which is open to both amateur gardeners and professional designers—and then head to our awards page to Vote.
N.B.: Curious to know who’s winning? We reveal the rankings when you vote in each category.
DIY Vegetable Potager Garden
Above: Gardenista editor Michelle Slatalla admired amateur gardeners Holeigh and Noah’s DIY Vegetable Potager Garden. Says Michelle: “Symmetry and sentimentality combine in an edible garden that one day may be a family heirloom.”
Above: Amateur gardener Angela’s Little Orphan Farm Garden proves “gardens don’t need to be fancy to have personality,” says Michelle.
Urban Farmstead
Above: Erica likes Urban Farmstead, calling it “wildly abundant and joyful” and noting the way the owners “creatively made use of their limited space by planning wisely and growing vertically.”
Have you chosen your favorite? Then head to the best Edible Garden category page to cast your vote.
Don’t forget to vote once per day in all contest categories on both Gardenista and Remodelista, now through August 3.
For aspiring East Coast adventurers who want to explore nature in the Hudson and Upper Delaware valleys, The Outside Institute’s new guide to local flora, fauna, and fungi identifies 52 kinds of prevalent trees, mushrooms, plants, birds, and other animals.
The first of three seasonal volumes, The Outside Institute Field Guide focuses on summertime environs, and in addition to descriptions of plants and animals has “medicinal, culinary, craft, and historical information of note,” says Silverman.
Above: Founded last year, the Outside Institute has a mission to connect people to the natural world, through year-round programs: guided walks, forest bathing, plant-based workshops, and foraging wild foods.
Above: The field guide is published through Wms & Co., which also sells well-designed “exquisitely practical tools to enhance daily life.”
Above: A second fall/winter volume of the field guide will be published in October.
Above: An entry on black trumpet mushrooms includes an illustration to help visually identify the fungus.
A third volume of the field guide, for spring, will be published in April.
See more of Laura Silverman’s work, including the spoils of a seaside foraging trip on Cape Cod:
We’ll be sad to see July go. But, courage—August lies ahead, with lazy days and sunflowers in the garden. The Remodelista editors spent the week discovering new design ideas for high summer. Here are five of their favorites.
Pantry Storage
Above: Troutbeck is a restored country house and retreat in upstate New York. For booking information, go to Troutbeck.
“Built in 1765 by poet/naturalist Myron Benton, Troutbeck served as a country house and retreat for Benton’s friends and associates, including Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the naturalist John Burroughs,” writes Julie. See more in Hotels & Lodging: A Storied Bohemian Country Estate Reborn in Amenia, NY.
“Trying to reduce your household water consumption? Look no further than your toilet, the number-one water guzzler,” suggests Janet. See a roundup of water-saving toilets in this week’s 10 Easy Pieces post.
Rustic Knives
Above: The full Cheese Knife Set includes an axe, cleaver, and knife; $120 AUD.
Annie discovers “handcrafted cutlery with handles made of apple branches, so reminiscent of deep woods and wilderness, they could be from the set of Moonrise Kingdom.” See more in Camp-Style Cutlery by a Melbourne Craftsman.
Above: On the former site of a dilapidated 1950s-era farm on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee off the coast of Rotterdam, Korteknie Stuhlmacher Architecten “constructed with cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels precut to size and assembled on-site within two weeks,” writes Alexa.
The Western red cedar siding of the house is finished with a natural wash to “anticipate the patina and grayness,” the architects say. “The house will not need painting in the future.”
